Police in Los Angeles have assembled elite undercover surveillance teams to tackle the retail theft that has swept across California.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department's Shoplifting Task Force and the California Highway Patrol have stepped up efforts to catch the scores of robbers, especially during the holidays.
“I think there's an absolute perception that nothing will be done because it's theft,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. NBC News.
The thieves, who often swoop in in large groups, have managed to make off with thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods, which they then transport to warehouses for resale.
Thefts at retailers in California are becoming increasingly common, and many have been captured on film and shared on social media. Some have blamed the state's lax laws for the spike in thefts.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department's Shoplifting Task Force and the California Highway Patrol have stepped up efforts to stop flash robbers in the city and state.
Shoplifting in the Golden State has been at an all-time high thanks to lenient laws that treat robberies as crimes that let thieves off with tickets
In addition to cities in California, other major US cities such as New York and Philadelphia have also experienced flash robberies.
The LA task force has set out to tackle the multibillion-dollar problem by capturing and arresting suspected shoplifters, but authorities have said current laws in California are not helping the situation.
“If the value is less than $950, it is considered a misdemeanor. If they have no outstanding cases or outstanding warrants, they will be cited and most likely released,” Lt. Mike Monteagudo of the California Highway Patrol told NBC.
In addition to major retailers like Nike, Macy's and Home Depot being targeted, small businesses have also fallen victim to these brazen groups.
Mona Zargar, the owner of Wig Fairy, a salon specializing in custom-made human hair wigs, had her shop in Beverley Hills robbed. Several thieves were captured on video bursting into her store and snatching expensive pieces from the shelves.
'I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to be in this store anymore,” Zargar said.
“How do you replace something like that in one night?”
In November, a group of up to 17 teenagers looted a Nike store in Los Angeles and made off with $12,000 worth of goods.
The thieves flooded the Nike Community Store on South Alameda Street, filling trash bags with boxes of sneakers and filling their arms with clothing.
Many teenagers hid their faces with masks, covered their heads with hoods and wore gloves.
A swarm of at least 17 teenagers stole about $12,000 worth of merchandise from the Nike Community Store on South Alameda Street in Los Angeles in November.
The California High Patrol's Organized Shoplifting Task Force has had some success in recent weeks. A sting resulted in 137 arrests, as well as the recovery of three stolen vehicles and more than $60,000 in goods.
On November 21, California police discovered a shipment of stolen goods worth $9.5 million and arrested two people in connection with the crime.
Manuel Alfredo Revolorio and Alondra Ramirez Cruz were both charged with grand larceny, cargo theft and conspiracy.
Authorities recovered clothing, shoes, electronics, perishables and other goods stolen from more than a dozen unidentified big box stores in the area.
The items were found after detectives from the California Highway Patrol's Southern Division's Theft Interdiction Program searched multiple locations in Los Angeles.
'We have been looking at groups, usually younger children, for years. And they believe that if they do it in groups, it will be harder to detain and arrest,” Luna said.
Last month, teenagers made off with trash bags full of boxes of sneakers and brought piles of stolen clothing to a Nike store in Los Angeles.
On November 21, California police discovered a shipment of stolen goods worth $9.5 million and arrested two people in connection with the crime.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared in August that the state would triple CHP resources in the Los Angeles area to combat retail crime
Governor Gavin Newsom declared in August that the state would triple CHP resources in the Los Angeles area to combat retail crime.
“The CHP is the proven leader in tackling organized retail theft and through this expanded partnership, the agency will further help the city carry out its work to keep Angelenos and their businesses safe,” Newsom said in a news release.
Since 2019, the Organized Retail Theft Program has returned $30.7 million in stolen goods to retailers across the state.
Since its inception, the organization has conducted more than 1,850 retail crime investigations and arrested more than 1,250 people.