Los Angeles was hit with two “flash mobs” lately, and it is not the sort with music and dancing.
“Flash mob” type robberies (when a big group of criminals storm a concentrated buying space to overwhelm staff, witnesses, and authorities) affected two California malls prior to now week. The thieves received away with nearly half 1,000,000 {dollars} in merchandise mixed.
The primary occurred final Tuesday at Yves Saint Laurent in The Americana at Model in Glendale, with over 30 suspected thieves working into the shop simply earlier than 5 p.m. and stealing an estimated $300,000 value of merchandise earlier than fleeing the scene on foot and in a collection of autos.
One witness caught the incident on movie and posted it to TikTok. It has garnered simply shy of 1 million views.
@tinadabbles Theft at Americana… #theft #americana #smashandgrab #saintlaurent ♬ authentic sound – Tinadabbles
“Any such legal exercise won’t be tolerated in Glendale,” Glendale Police Chief Manny Cid stated in a assertion. “The Glendale Police Division will pursue all leads and make the most of each accessible useful resource to apprehend these accountable and produce them to justice. Anticipate an elevated police presence in and across the downtown Glendale hall.”
The mall in Glendale is providing a $50,000 reward to anybody with data of the crime or the criminals.
A second incident occurred not too distant in Woodland Hills on Saturday, the place a bunch of as much as 50 individuals attacked a Nordstrom retailer contained in the Westfield Topanga Mall and stole an estimated $100,000 value of luxurious merchandise from the division retailer, together with designer purses and clothes.
Movies on social media present the aftermath of the chaos, with damaged glass and racks thrown to the ground. The robbers reportedly used bear spray to fend off safety guards and people attempting to cease the crime.
@tuohybeauty NORDSTROM Topanga simply received hit! Identical folks that hit YSL in Glendale. #goviral #hit #mall #theft #loopy#thisneedtostop ♬ authentic sound – Draco and Dahlia
“What occurred as we speak on the Nordstrom within the Topanga Mall is completely unacceptable,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated in an announcement. “Those that dedicated these acts and acts prefer it in neighboring areas should be held accountable. The Los Angeles Police Division will proceed to work to not solely discover these chargeable for this incident however to forestall these assaults on retailers from taking place sooner or later.”
Authorities haven’t but commented on whether or not the incidents are associated.