Macy’s in Los Angeles robbed by gang of thieves making off with $20,000 worth of perfume amid California smash-and-grab epidemic
- A new group of “flash thieves” targeted a Macy’s store in the Northridge Mall Sunday morning.
- They stuffed bin bags full of luxury perfumes and fled after being chased by innocent shoppers who tried to stop them.
- LAPD searches for suspects, last seen in unlicensed black Infinity
A group of “flash rob” thieves broke into a Los Angeles Macy’s department store at Northridge Mall Sunday morning while stuffing bags of perfume worth $20,000.
Cellphone video of the crime showed several men dressed in dark hoodies and blue medical masks loading bags containing what appeared to be cologne and perfume.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the incident immediately after the robbery, around 11:10 a.m.
The news comes as the trend of “blitzes” is on the rise at major chain stores in California, where groups of thieves have overwhelmed retailers, taking whatever they can.
According to The Ocean County Registerrpolice believe five to ten male suspects were involved and fled in an unlicensed black Infinity.
Cellphone video of the crime shows several men dressed in dark hoodies and blue medical masks loading bags containing what appeared to be cologne and perfume.
The “flash thieves” allegedly used hammers and their bodies to smash glass windows at Macy’s department store.
Tony Im, public information officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, said the thieves allegedly used hammers and physical force to smash display cases filled with perfume brands.
Due to the increase in store thefts in the state, the Los Angeles Police Department has launched a task force dedicated to preventing burglaries like this.
“The Retail Organized Crime Task Force is a multi-agency task force, which will be led by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division,” said LAPD Deputy Chief Dominic Choi. KNX News Radio Los Angeles.
This new report is just one example of the “flash mob” robberies that have become all the rage since Los Angeles’ zero-cash bail policy came back into effect.
The r of the cityrecently reinstated policy This means that people arrested and charged with a crime can be released without having to pay bail up front for certain categories of crimes.
Last week, another California Macy’s store was ransacked by four thieves at the Brea Mall on September 5.
After one of the suspects was arrested, the other three embarked on a wild ride, stopping near an elementary school, rushing to a dentist’s office and attempting to flee in a car carpoolers before being arrested.
A Nordstrom Rack store and another Macy’s store were also targeted by groups of thieves who made off with thousands of dollars in designer handbags.
As the thieves in the latest Macy’s heist tried to get away with black and white trash bags filled with luxury perfumes, other shoppers tried to pursue them.
A group of “flash rob” thieves broke into a Los Angeles Macy’s department store at Northridge Mall Sunday morning while stuffing bags of perfume worth $20,000.
The city’s zero-bail policy means people arrested and charged with certain crimes can be released without having to pay bail up front.
This Macy’s at Northridge Mall in Los Angeles is not the first Macy’s in the city to be targeted by thieves. The Santa Anita Mall store was also the victim of a perfume theft in August.
Six suspects invaded the Nordstrom Rack in Riverside on August 14 and loaded their guns with purses before fleeing. This store was hit before this attack on July 10.
On August 22, at the Macy’s store in the Santa Anita Mall, suspects threw perfume bottles into trash bags.
A Los Angeles Nike store was also attacked by six thieves during a brazen heist Aug. 13 in East Los Angeles. They were all caught red-handed with burglary tools and merchandise worth $30,000.
As thieves in the latest Macy’s heist tried to make off with black and white trash bags filled with luxury perfumes, other shoppers tried to chase them.
Police last saw the suspects as they drove away and are still searching for them.
Los Angeles Mayor Bass announced that 11 suspects have been arrested so far after the launch of the multi-agency task force. They risk up to six months in prison, but the police will rarely file charges.
At a press conference held to announce the creation of the official task force, Mayor Bass said, “These are not victimless crimes. No Angeleno should feel like it’s unsafe to shop in Los Angeles.
