Articles and News
Organized Crime and Zero Cash Bail Fuel Mass Robberies in LA, Police Say August 16, 2023 (0 comments)
Los Angeles, CA--Recent smash-and-grab incidents in Los Angeles have been attributed to organized crime and the city's zero cash bail policy, according to local law enforcement.
[Image via Daily Mail]
Deputy Police Chief Alan Hamilton highlighted the recent Nordstrom heist at Westfield Topanga Mall, wherein a group of over 30 individuals cloaked in black made away with $300,000 in luxury items from brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry, and Bottega Veneta. Videos of the incident have been widely shared online.
Hamilton told NBC News, "There’s no doubt criminal organizations are behind this. Some of it involves gang members, some of it involves people that are what you would identify as professional retail thieves. The way this type of crime typically works, a lot of the time they will already know where they’re going to offload these goods to.” He also emphasized the rapid turnover of these goods after a heist, suggesting that culprits swiftly distance themselves from the stolen items.
Tom Saggau, the spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Protective League, linked the rise in such crimes to the zero cash bail policy in an interview with Fox News Digital. This policy allows arrested individuals to be released without upfront bail payment. Saggau remarked in the report, “The elimination of cash bail for these types of offenses is really an invitation to these kinds of folks who are inclined to break the law and inclined to do it so brazenly.”
An incident at a Nordstrom store is just one of several high-profile robberies. Footage from the scene showed thieves aggressively taking goods, even using bear spray against security guards. Witnesses reported the culprits escaping in luxury vehicles.
The report noted that LAPD confirmed the loss to be over $300,000. This particular Nordstrom store was also targeted in November 2021, when thieves incapacitated a guard with bear spray and stole designer merchandise.
California is grappling with frequent robberies following the relaxation of penalties for thefts under $950. These thefts are now considered misdemeanors with minimal penalties. Moreover, recent legislation discourages store employees from confronting perpetrators, a move critics argue will encourage shoplifting.
Learn more in the entire DailyMail report.