- Over the weekend, a Nordstrom in a Los Angeles mall was a repeat target for a “flash mob” robbery.
- Up to $100,000 of merchandise was stolen, days after a similar robbery in the Los Angeles area.
- In 2021, the Nordstrom store was also the target of a flash mob robbery.
Over the weekend, a Nordstrom store in a Los Angeles mall was the repeat target of a flash mob burglary where up to $100,000 of merchandise was stolen.
Dozens of people wearing black outfits and masks rushed into the store and ran out with high-end handbags on Saturday around 4 p.m., the Southern California news outlet KTLA 5 reported.
The same store was hit by a similar burglary in 2021, when around five people robbed the Nordstrom, KTLA 5 reported. In both instances, the burglars used bear spray to immobilize security at the story.
The most recent Nordstrom robbery occurred days after around 30 people swarmed a Yves Saint Laurent store in the Los Angeles area stealing around $300,000 worth of clothing and other items, the Glendale Police Department said in a press release.
The term “flash mob” has been associated with flash mob dances, but has since taken on new meaning when associated with organized burglaries conducted by large groups.
“These ‘flash mob’ burglaries involve a large, coordinated group of individuals simultaneously rushing into the store, overwhelming staff, and taking it over,” The Glendale Police Department said. “The suspects grab as much merchandise as possible before fleeing in multiple vehicles.”
These sorts of robberies are also called smash-and-grab burglaries.
The Los Angeles Police Department said the losses from the Saturday burglary at Nordstrom were estimated to be from $60,000 to $100,000 in merchandise.
These recent robberies are reminiscent of a string of robberies at high-end stores throughout California in 2021.
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