Series of Group Robberies in Major California Cities
"Classified as Misdemeanors Under $750... Punishment Should Be Strengthened"
In major cities in California, including Los Angeles (LA), dozens of thieves have repeatedly raided luxury shopping malls.
According to local media such as CNN and NBC on the 13th (local time), the Nordstrom store, a luxury department store in the Westfield Topanga Mall in the western part of LA, was ambushed by thieves the previous day.
A group estimated to be between 30 and 50 people, wearing black hoodies and covering their faces, rushed in and stuffed expensive items displayed in the store into bags indiscriminately before fleeing. The damage is reported to be worth up to $100,000 (about 130 million KRW).
According to the LA police, some of them sprayed security guards with bear spray, which is used to repel wild bears. Store employees were more focused on protecting customers from injury than preventing the theft.
As the thieves left the store, they dropped stolen items on the floor, broke glass windows, and even knocked down mannequins. They fled in vehicles such as BMWs. The LA police are pursuing the suspects based on CCTV footage and other evidence.
On the afternoon of the 8th, about 30 robbers also raided the Yves Saint Laurent store at a shopping center in Glendale, California, stealing goods worth about $300,000 (approximately 399 million KRW). It has not yet been confirmed whether they are the same suspects as those involved in the Nordstrom department store incident.
In 2014, California passed a law treating thefts under $950 (about 120,000 KRW) as misdemeanors, meaning they are not prosecuted. This is classified as a so-called "survival crime." Although prosecution for petty theft can result in up to six months in state prison, police often do not file charges.
Furthermore, in May, the California Senate passed a bill prohibiting store employees from confronting armed thieves.
However, this has led to a series of theft incidents, and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported in 2021 that "San Francisco has become a haven for petty thieves."
Recently, as the targets of robberies have expanded and the methods have become more violent, calls for strong countermeasures are growing louder.
Eric Garcetti, the mayor of LA, stated regarding this incident, "This is absolutely unacceptable," and added, "The LA police will not only track down the perpetrators of this incident but also work to prevent similar incidents targeting retail stores from recurring."
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