Lululemon ‘booster' sentenced for SF Centre Mall snatch-and-grabs: DA

( KRON ) — A San Francisco judge sentenced Bernard Appel, 32, to two years in prison on Friday. The District Attorney’s office said Appel was sentenced for committing a series of snatch-and-grabs from two Lululemon stores in the city.

Prosecutors allege that from July 10, 2023, through November 19, 2023, Appel “consistently used either a large bag or large Lululemon coat turned upside down and inside out” to fill with “Lululemon leggings and miscellaneous merchandise.”

After the 32-year-old would fill his bag with merchandise, he would “quickly” exit the stores “without any attempts to pay for the merchandise.” Prosecutors said these snatch and grabs were committed in Lululemon stores at San Francisco Centre Mall and Fillmore Street.

"Mr. Appel's conviction and sentence holds him accountable for his brazen crimes… Organized retail theft has a profound impact on our neighborhoods and businesses and will not be tolerated or condoned," Jenkins said.

Appel has been in custody since January this year. He was sentenced after pleading guilty in court to two counts of organized retail theft with the intent to resell merchandise and two counts of commercial burglary from Lululemon. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to Lululemon.

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