On Friday's Fox & Friends, the show again showed viewers an example of how important it is for Americans to own guns to deter crime as the hosts discussed surveillance video of a 73-year-old man in San Francisco who used a handgun to scare five smash and grab robbers out of the store where he worked. Setting up the video, co-host Steve Doocy recalled:
You've seen the smash and grab stuff from the West Coast -- it's just terrifying. And so let's take you out to the San Francisco area -- the Bay Area -- on Monday at a place called Estates Consignments store. It must have had some pretty nice stuff because a group of smash and grab bandits ran into the consignment store. The front door is always locked, but, on surveillance tape, apparently a woman seems to have been opening the door -- was allowed in -- and then held the door open for the group. They came in -- next thing you know, they're going to loot the place until somebody steps in.
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt then added:
They came in with sledge hammers in their hands -- they B-lined for the jewelry display cases, but a guy who works there had a gun. His name is Albert Marcu -- he's worked there since 2007. Thankfully, he stepped -- look at him on the left hand side of your screen with his gun. And then they were terrified, and they left.
Viewers could see video of the attack which included video of the men forcing their way in through the door after the employee unlocked it to let a customer exit, and the employee, Albert Marcu, could be seen inside the store pointing his gun at the robbers with them frantically running back to their cars.Then a clip of Marcu was shown recalling that he brandished his gun and warned them he was armed, leading them to flee.
Co-host Lawrence Jones recounted that liberals mistakenly believe these professional shoplifters are just poor people in need when in reality many are in the business of selling the stolen items to enrich themselves:
And what these people don't understand -- these social justice warriors -- is these people aren't just poor people that are going and stealing things. This is part of a criminal enterprise. These people loot, they steal, and then they turn online and resell this stuff -- not to say it would have been justified if they were poor. But it's just -- there's a larger conversation that needs to happen about the large plan of selling all this stuff online.
Earhardt further informed viewers that the good guy with a gun had immigrated to the United States from Romania decades ago to escape communism.
Just a few weeks ago, Fox & Friends and other Fox shows showed viewers video of California man who used a gun to defend himself from home invaders who was then informed by local police that his gun permit was being revoked.
Transcript follows:
Fox & Friends
December 15, 2023
6:43 a.m. Eastern
STEVE DOOCY: You've seen the smash and grab stuff from the West Coast -- it's just terrifying. And so let's take you out to the San Francisco area -- the Bay Area -- on Monday at a place called Estates Consignments store. It must have had some pretty nice stuff because a group of smash and grab bandits ran into the consignment store. The front door is always locked, but, on surveillance tape, apparently a woman seems to have been opening the door -- was allowed in -- and then held the door open for the group. They came in -- next thing you know, they're going to loot the place until somebody steps in.
AINSLEY EARHARDT: They came in with sledge hammers in their hands -- they B-lined for the jewelry display cases, but a guy who works there had a gun. His name is Albert Marcu -- he's worked there since 2007. Thankfully, he stepped -- look at him on the left hand side of your screen with his gun. And then they were terrified, and they left, Brian.
BRIAN KILMEADE: Let's listen -- let's listen to what he had to say.
ALBERT MARCU, SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENT: I show them my gun, and I told them to stop it, "I have a gun," and only because they saw my gun and saw I was, you know, serious about it, they panic and they run out. (editing jump) I didn't want to shoot anybody, right, but I had to make a statement. Too many bad things happen -- stores get robbed left and right.
KILMEADE: They could have taken up to $1,000, Lawrence. It didn't even matter. These guys turn and go the other way. I just hope all his permits and everything was done so he doesn't end up in trouble.
LAWRRENCE JONES: You know, I want to meet Albert because I think that his position on this -- what he did is how a lot of folks in America feel. It's not just the smash and grabs -- it's people's home being broken into. I mean, it's just a lack of respect for the law and human decency. And what these people don't understand -- these social justice warriors -- is these people aren't just poor people that are going and stealing things. This is part of a criminal enterprise. These people loot, they steal, and then they turn online and resell this stuff -- not to say it would have been justified if they were poor. But it's just -- there's a larger conversation that needs to happen about the large plan of selling all this stuff online.
(...)
EARHARDT: Did y'all see that video of the lady walking out of the door. They said the staff believes that the woman seen on surveillance video might have been in on it. They explained that she walked in before they attempted the heist and then looked up at the cameras while on the phone the entire time. The store's front door is always locked until visitors are let in, and she appeared to hold it open and kind of go out slowly so they could get in. And they rushed in right after her. The guy who had the gun -- he said he escaped from the U.S. -- he escaped to the U.S. from communist Romania and is disappointed with the current climate. He said that "we beg the politicians to help us small businesses and help communities all over California." He said the police -- he did say the police were there in 30 seconds, so he was applauding them.
