Police in Los Angeles have apprehended 10 individuals in connection with a series of flash mob robberies at a Nike store in East L.A. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has charged four suspects with felonies related to organized retail theft, while two suspects had outstanding arrest warrants, one of which was related to shoplifting. The authorities have recovered over $3,000 worth of stolen merchandise and have returned it to Nike.
These arrests were made as part of a covert operation that took place on Thursday and Friday at the Nike Community Store in East Los Angeles. The store has been targeted by mass larceny and organized retail theft, similar to other businesses in the county, hence the need for this operation. The most recent theft at the store occurred on August 13 when shoplifters stole bags full of sneakers and other merchandise.
During the operation, the police identified two street gangs associated with organized retail theft. Flash mob robberies, where a large group of thieves rush into a store, grab as much merchandise as possible, and quickly flee, have been a significant problem in the Los Angeles area recently.
In a separate incident, a mob of 30 to 50 individuals raided the Nordstrom store at the Westfield Topanga shopping mall on August 12, stealing clothes, bags, and other goods before escaping in vehicles without license plates. The thieves managed to steal up to $100,000 worth of goods within a minute. No arrests have been made in that case. On August 8, a crew of looters also stole approximately $300,000 worth of goods from the Yves Saint Laurent store in Glendale.
One of the suspected individuals involved in the Yves Saint Laurent store theft, Ivan Isaac Ramirez, was arrested on August 17, but was later released on the same day with a citation.
