LOCAL NEWS

Up to $300K stolen in "flash mob" robbery at Westfield Topanga Shopping Center in Canoga Park

BY KCAL-NEWS STAFF
UPDATED ON: AUGUST 14, 2023 / 4:42 PM / KCAL NEWS

Police are investigating a "flash mob" robbery that occurred at the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center in Canoga Park on Saturday. ... According to Los Angeles Police Department, anywhere between 20 and 30 suspects flooded the mall's Nordstrom store a little after 4 p.m., ransacking shelves and displays for anything they could grab before fleeing.

Despite initial reports that said between $60,000 and $100,000 in stolen items were taken by the group of suspects, LAPD says that nearly $300,000 worth of merchandise was taken in just the several minutes that the masked suspects ravaged the store.

Video from the scene shows suspects grabbing clothing, purses and even dragging displays with them as they wreaked havoc in just several short minutes. ... Some reports even indicate that a security guard at the store was sprayed with either mace or pepper spray as the brazen robbery occurred.

A similar incident occurred back in Nov. of 2021, when a group of suspects targeted the same Nordstrom store, spraying one of the security guards with bear spray.

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Thieves caught on camera robbing Nike store in East Los Angeles

by: Josh DuBose
Posted: Aug 13, 2023 / 10:23 PM PDT
Updated: Aug 13, 2023 / 11:14 PM PDT

Video posted to the Citizen App on Sunday appears to show several people brazenly stealing merchandise from a crowded Nike store in East Los Angeles. ...
Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that a call about the broad daylight theft at the Nike Community Store located 4585 Whittier Blvd. came in just after 5:30 p.m.

At least one of the suspects is seen carrying a trash bag filled with boxes. At one point, he drops the bag and quickly puts the items that spilled out back into it before following two other suspects out of the store.

Police said that three suspects, described as a Black male and two Black females, made off with about $1,000 in merchandise. So far, all three are still at-large.



One of three suspects caught on video stealing merchandise from a Nike store in East L.A. on Aug. 13, 2023. (Citizen App)

This theft comes on the heels of a mob of thieves caught on video swarming a Nordstrom in Canoga Park Saturday, clearing out much of the store. ... Los Angeles police received reports of the mass robbery at the Westfield Topanga mall around 4 p.m. and said anywhere from 20-50 suspects are believed to have been involved, although the exact number has not been confirmed.

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