Man who robbed P9-million bags from Chanel store brags on social media…and gets arrested

In the long history of stupid robbers, this guy just cemented his place on the list of idiots.

A man who robbed a Chanel boutique in SoHo, New York on Feb. 2 boasted on social media that he could “open a small boutique” with his loot—nearly $189,500 (P9.2 million) worth of stolen merchandise, according to the NYPD and FBI.

Erin Spencer, 29, the leader of the robbery crew, was arrested on Feb. 20 in Fort Lauderdale, Miami.

The brazen robbery happened on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m., when four men walked into the posh store and began taking bags off the shelves—44 bags in total.

That’s an average price of $4,300 (P210,000) for each Chanel bag.

The NYPD said this was part of a string of robberies of luxury retailers from September 2020. Robbers have hit 20 stores so far.

The Southern District of New York released a statement on Feb. 22 on the arrest of Spencer. US Attorney Audrey Strauss said, “As alleged, Eric Spencer put the public and store personnel in grave danger when he committed a brazen daylight armed robbery of a SoHo boutique earlier this month. Spencer allegedly threatened a store security guard by displaying the handle of his gun as he barked orders to his co-conspirators to ‘grab everything.’ Now the FBI and NYPD have grabbed Spencer, who is in federal custody and awaiting his day in court.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said that the arrest highlighted the joint investigative work of the FBI-NYPD Joint Major Theft Task Force.  

The statement said that Spencer and three other co-conspirators entered the store and began grabbing handbags and other items off the walls. When a security guard confronted him, he said, “What are you going to do? Shoot me?” Spencer then reached into his waistband where the security guard could see the handle of a firearm.  

Spencer yelled, “Nobody touch me! Get everything! Grab everything!”  

The next day, Spencer bragged on social media about how he had “so much Double C,” referring to the Chanel logo, that he could “open a small boutique.”

Spencer faces 20 years in prison if convicted. And zero chance of opening a small boutique.

Banner photo: The Chanel shop on Spring St. in SoHo, New York