Macy’s in Los Angeles is the target of a flash mob of nine robbers who are raiding the beauty department
- The nine-member robbery crew hit the Westfield Fashion Squre in Sherman Oaks, California, on Thursday afternoon and fled in two different cars
- The masked bandits, in their early twenties, wore hooded sweatshirts and dark clothing has not yet been captured
- The latest robbery comes on the same day the police task force announced 11 arrests in connection with a series of flash mob robberies in Southern California.
Los Angeles has been hit again by another flash mob department store robbery, after a nine-person team attacked a Macy’s store as shocked staff and shoppers looked on.
The robbery took place at around 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks at 14000 Riverside Drive, located in Los Angeles County.
Disturbing video shows a band of masked bandits, dressed in hooded sweatshirts and dark clothing, grabbing loads – perfumes and colognes – from the beauty salons and stuffing the stolen merchandise into bags.
The crowd, all in their early twenties, is seen running through the shoe department toward the store’s exit and some terrified bystanders stand still, ABC7 News reported.
The suspects, who have not been caught, are believed to have jumped into a silver or gold Honda and a black Ford Fusion and were last seen on Woodman Avenue heading toward the 101 freeway. The daily news from Los Angeles reported.
It is not yet clear how many goods have been stolen.
The robbery took place at around 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks at 14000 Riverside Drive, located in Los Angeles County.
The band of masked bandits, dressed in hooded sweatshirts and dark clothing, grabbed masses of stuff – perfumes and colognes – from the beauty salons and crammed the stolen merchandise into bags
The latest robbery took place at Westfield Fashion Square (pictured). The shopping center owned by the Westfield Group has more than 100 stores, including major retailers such as Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Apple and Banana Republic
A woman, who was shopping with her grandmother, who did not want to be identified, but witnessed the theft, said KTL how “helpless and scared she felt.”
“My grandmother, she has a hard time walking around, so she just sat there. The poor lady was scared.’
She added, “It’s getting out of hand.”
Thursday’s mob-style robbery was the latest robbery to hit retailers in Southern California and is part of a growing trend.
To combat these crimes, an Organized Retail Crime Task Force was established to deal with these criminals.
The Los Angeles Police Department, the LA County Sheriff’s Department, the US Marshall’s Apprehension Task Force and the FBI’s Apprehension Task Force are part of the team.
The robbery at Westfield Fashion Square, a shopping center with more than 100 stores including major retailers such as Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Apple and Banana Republic, occurred on the same day the task force announced 11 arrests in connection with these flash mob robberies . .
These recent crimes took place at the Yves Saint Laurent in the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale, and at a Nordstrom’s in Canoga Park.
Over half a million dollars worth of merchandise was stolen in those two robberies.
The latest robbery took place at the Macy’s department store in Sherman Oaks
Mayor Karen Bass called the spike in organized shoplifting “unacceptable.”
“What we have seen in the city of Los Angeles and surrounding regions over the past week is unacceptable, which is why we are announcing action here today,” Bass said in a statement last week.
“These are not victimless crimes – especially in the case where Angelenos were attacked – with violence or fear – while they were doing their jobs or shopping.”
Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield filed a motion Friday to establish a police station at the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center, just a short distance from Westfield Fashion Square.