A group of masked men carried out a smash-and-grab at the Topanga Westfield mall on Friday night, Oct. 4th, authorities said.
At around 5:15 p.m., 15-20 masked men rushed into Nordstrom and stole several luxury items, LAPD’s Lieutenant Zuniga said. Police could not provide the dollar amount of merchandise taken.
The suspects fled the scene in three vehicles, Lt. Zuniga said.
Details about the suspects or their vehicles were not immediately known.
Though the exact ages of the suspects are unknown, witnesses reported them to be in their late teens or early 20s, which Lt. Zuniga said is the typical age range in these crimes.
A similar smash-and-grab occurred at the store on Aug. 12, 2023, perpetrated by at least 30 masked suspects who smashed display cases and grabbed merchandise before fleeing.
Anyone with information regarding either crime is asked to call the LAPD’s Topanga station at 818-756-4800 or, during non-business hours and weekends, 877-527-3247. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
In August, Governor Gavin Newsom signed 10 bills designed to discourage retail crime. The package includes stricter penalties for repeat shoplifting offenders, for arson with intent to commit retail theft and for possessing items stolen from a vehicle.
It also makes permanent the California Highway Patrol’s property crimes task force and requires online marketplaces to better monitor if listed merchandise is stolen.
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