A daylight theft was recorded at a crowded Nike store in East Los Angeles, as captured in a video posted to the Citizen App on Sunday. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the incident occurred at the Nike Community Store on Whittier Blvd in Whittier, just after 5:30 p.m.
The video shows at least one suspect carrying a trash bag filled with boxes. At one point, the individual drops the bag and swiftly collects the scattered items before joining two other suspects in fleeing the store.
Police report that three suspects, identified as one Black male and two Black females, made off with approximately $1,000 worth of merchandise. As of now, all three suspects remain at large.
This incident follows another large-scale theft at a Nordstrom in Canoga Park the previous Saturday, during which a mob cleared out a substantial portion of the store’s merchandise. Los Angeles police estimate that between 20 and 50 suspects were involved in that robbery, resulting in an estimated loss of $60,000 to $100,000 worth of merchandise.
These incidents underscore the challenges in curbing retail thefts and the need for improved security measures. They also highlight the importance of community vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement in identifying and apprehending such suspects.