Trump claims mob of '500 people' ransacking stores to steal air conditioners, trolls say he 'wants to cancel Black Friday'

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Former President Donald Trump, without any evidence, doubled down on his claims about rampant crimes, claiming mobs were robbing department stores en masse.

"You go to some of these department stores, 500 people walk into the stores, they walk out with air conditioners — they strip the whole store,"  the GOP presumptive nominee said at a campaign speech at Turning Point Action in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday, June 6.

"The company goes out of business. The store is vacant for 25 years. The whole city becomes a slum," he added.

Trump had often accused his successor, President Joe Biden, claiming the crime rate in the country was at a higher rate under the current administration. However, the FBI's quarterly uniform crime report showed that the violent crime rate decreased by 13 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022, as per ABC News.

Trump campaign defends ex-POTUS' remarks citing HVAC thefts

The Trump campaign cited various news reports about residential HVAC thefts and "pack thefts" across multiple cities to substantiate the former president's remarks about mass stealing from department stores.

'Why stealing an air conditioner is more serious than you'd think,' was one local news outlet report from Texas the Trump campaign sent to The Hill.

Another report related to HVAC units stolen from job sites in Virginia was titled, 'Thieves keep stealing HVAC units. He might offer them $100 to just 'go away.'

Trump had previously made similar arguments about the massive theft of large appliances from department stores.

During the 2023 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum in Indianapolis, he said, "As an example, when you see these gangs of hundreds of young, usually young people go and attack a department store, department stores in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Chicago, and they run in by the hundreds, and they're running out carrying refrigerators and carrying air conditioners and big stuff."

Footages showing pack thefts from small retail stores and pharmacies occasionally circulate on social media. However, experts generally believe that the problem of shoplifting is frequently exaggerated.

Trump's remarks at the campaign speech in Arizona indicated he remained firm on his crime rhetoric despite being the first former president to become a convicted felon.

On May 30, the GOP White House hopeful was found guilty on all 34 charges of falsifying his business documents to conceal hush money payment made before the 2016 election to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels about their alleged affair.

Internet mocks Trump as he claims 500 people stealing air conditioners from stores

The internet ridiculed the former president for claiming 500 people stole air conditioners from departmental stores.

One user joked, "Apparently Donald Trump wants to cancel Black Friday." Meanwhile, another remarked, "Ya, let’s have the convicted felon fix the crime issue in America."

A funny remark read, "Air conditioners are extremely heavy. Who is running with an A/C?"

"DJT is telling the most absurd of stories. 500 people have never walked in to a store took everything & left the city to fall apart from one incident (that never happened)," added a fourth user.

Another quipped, "I didn't know Radio Shack sold air conditioners. 500 people? That sounds like Walmart on Black Firday."

"Wait …it went from 300-400 back in May and now its 500 people He should at least keep his story consistent," someone else pointed out.

An individual said, "He continues to be unaware of online shopping )and he’s also lying.) No one is walking into stores to steal heavy air conditioners or “television sets” as he claimed at a recent rally."

Another person wrote, "Trump is selling doom and gloom in this election. That’s all he does. Weak minds fall for it. The country is actually doing well."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.