Following an investigation into a potential theft at Westfield Century City mall on Friday evening, law enforcement has concluded that no crime occurred.
Earlier that day, police had received reports of a potential smash-and-grab robbery around 5:43 p.m. at the shopping center situated on the 10200 block of Santa Monica Boulevard.
Witnesses claimed to have observed individuals donning masks and subsequently looting a store before swiftly leaving the vicinity. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles police failed to uncover any substantiating evidence of a robbery.
No additional particulars regarding this incident were divulged.
Over the past month, there has been a concerning uptick in instances of “flash mob” robbery in Southern California, predominantly targeting high-end and designer retailers.
In response to these thefts, an Organized Retail Crime Taskforce was established earlier this month, aiming to curb the escalating trend of group robberies targeting retailers.
This task force comprises multiple law enforcement agencies and will not solely focus on apprehending the individuals involved in robbing retailers, but will also extend its efforts to those involved in purchasing the pilfered merchandise through online platforms, as stated by officials.
On Friday, four suspects were apprehended in connection with a series of flash mob robberies that had transpired across Southern California. In the preceding week, eleven additional suspects were also taken into custody for their alleged participation in similar flash mob robbery incidents.