Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the string of thefts in Los Angeles known as the “flash mob” robberies.
The arrests were made by the Organized Retail Crime Taskforce on Aug. 23, but the suspects’ names have not yet been released.
The Los Angeles Times reports the task force was created following several robberies across Los Angeles in which dozens of masked thieves quickly robbed several luxury retailers in the area, including the Versace Store at the Beverly Center, a Warehouse Shoe Store in Highland Park, Nordstrom’s at the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park and Yves Saint Laurent at The Americana at Brand in Glendale. A Macy’s department store in Sherman Oaks was also robbed on Aug. 24, according to ABC7 News.
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During the robbery at the Nordstrom store, at least 30 masked robbers ransacked the store while stealing between $100,000 and $300,000 worth of expensive handbags, jewelry and clothing.
“The city of Los Angeles and neighboring cities have recently experienced an increase in ‘flash-mob’ method retail crime incidents conducted by multiple suspects targeting retail establishments throughout the Los Angeles region,” read a statement from the LAPD.
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“Upon the inception of the ORCT, detectives assumed investigative responsibility of nine cases involving organized retail crimes throughout the city of Los Angeles. Many of these retail theft cases have adopted linkage to other retail crimes which occurred in neighboring cities.”
The task force includes officers from the police departments in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale and the California Highway Patrol. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is also part of the task force. The ORCT consists of 22 full-time organized retail…
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