Macy’s in Los Angeles is attacked by a flash mob of nine robbers who are cleaning out the cosmetics department
- The gang of nine robbers ambushed Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, California, on Thursday afternoon and fled in two different vehicles
- The masked bandits, in their early 20s, wore hoodies and dark clothing have not yet been captured
- The latest robbery occurred on the same day that the Police Task Force announced 11 arrests in connection with a series of flash mob attacks in Southern California
Los Angeles was hit by another department store flash mob after a group of nine attacked a Macy’s store in front of horrified employees and shoppers.
The robbery occurred around 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, 14000 Riverside Drive in the Los Angeles area.
A disturbing video shows crowds of masked bandits in hoodies and dark clothing snatching heaps of items – perfumes and cologne – from cosmetics counters and stuffing the stolen goods into bags.
The mob, all in their early 20s, can be seen running through the shoe section toward the store’s exit and some terrified passers-by stand by, ABC7 News reported.
The suspects, who were not caught, are believed to have jumped into a silver or gold Honda and a black Ford Fusion and were last seen heading down Woodman Avenue towards the 101 Freeway, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.
It is currently unclear how many goods were stolen.
The robbery occurred around 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, 14000 Riverside Drive in the Los Angeles area.
The horde of masked bandits in hoodies and dark clothes snatch loads of items – perfumes and colognes – from cosmetics counters and stuff the stolen goods into bags
The most recent robbery occurred in Westfield Fashion Square (pictured). The mall, owned by Westfield Group, has more than 100 stores including well-known retailers such as Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Apple and Banana Republic
A woman who went shopping with her grandmother and declined to be named but witnessed the theft told KTLA how “helpless and scared she felt.”
“My grandma – 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 retail gang-style robbery was the latest robbery to hit retailers in Southern California and part of a growing trend.
To combat these crimes, an Organized Retail Crime Task Force has been set up to target these criminals.
The team includes 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.
The robbery at Westfield Fashion Square, a mall with more than 100 stores including big-name retailers such as Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Apple and Banana Republic, occurred on the same day the task force announced that it was related to these flash mob raids eleven arrests were made .
These recent crimes occurred at the Yves Saint Laurent at Americana at Brand in Glendale and at Nordstrom’s in Canoga Park.
More than half a million dollars worth of goods were stolen in these two robberies.
The most recent robbery occurred at Macy’s department store in Sherman Oaks
Mayor Karen Bass called the rise in organized theft in retail stores “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 when Angelenos have been attacked by violence or fear while going about their work or running errands.”
Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield on Friday filed a motion to set up a police station at the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center, which is not far from Westfield Fashion Square.