Horrified shoppers were left terrified as a large group of people swarmed a department store and used bear spray on two security guards – before taking off with thousands of dollars worth of luxury handbags and high-end clothing

On a busy Saturday afternoon around 4pm, shoppers at Nordstrom’s were left in shock as a large group of people – which cops estimated between 30 to 50 – ran into the store.

The thieves used bear spray on two security guards who confronted them, police say. Video shows thieves scooping up armfuls of items and running for the exit.

Grabs from a video showing a large group breaking into an expensive store in California
(
@shannonsharpeee)

In the normally peaceful and busy Topanga Mall, located in Canoga Park in California, shoppers were sent running for safety when the group invaded the store.

Videos posted by onlookers on X, the site formally known as Twitter, show a terrifying scene with small shelves littering the floor, as men run through the store holding bags that they’ve stuffed full of clothing and other items. Most of them managed to escape through the large glass door with no one able to stop them.

It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured. No arrests were reported.

Investigators are still working to calculate the total cost of the items that were stolen.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department. Anonymous tips can also be provided to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.

This is not the first time a Nordstrom in California has been hit, as group smash-and-grabs have become increasingly common.

A Louis Vuitton was hit in San Fransisco weeks ago, and a Jewelry store in Irvin was the target a week ago. From November 2022 to April 2023, there have been 11 crimes such as this one in the state.

Crimes of theft, in general, are increasing, which is indicative of economic factors, says a report by The LA Times. “That’s how people pay their rent, pay their car loans. Going to the mall, stealing clothes, that’s how people have money,” said a man interviewed by the publication that didn’t wish to be identified by name.

Additionally, the incidents present a problem for law enforcement agencies, who are rarely able to identify and catch the individuals who are found on security videos as blurry moving pieces. It’s created yet another political rift between parties that are blaming each other for the uptick in crime, and how they want to address the issue.

Businesses wrote a letter to Congress asking them to pass a bill that would penalize illegal and third-party sellers by installing better verification processes for online sellers. Individuals are often reselling jewelry and expensive items online in large amounts.

In November, five women made off with $14,256 in Lululemon merchandise in Studio City. Since then, they’ve equipped security tags with GPS locators. Police were able to arrest several women, in that case, using that information. They traced it back to a group of women that had two vehicles full of merchandise from different stores.

Det. Noah Stone, who investigates robberies and thefts in the Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood Division, said: “The days of somebody hiding behind a rack and covertly putting stuff in their backpack, it’s not as much like that anymore. It’s more: ‘Don’t care. I’m taking this and I’m leaving.’”