Los Angeles Police Department vows to prosecute those behind Topanga Mall incident
Video shows aftermath of California Nordstrom ransacking
Los Angeles Police say an estimated $60,000 to $100,000 stolen Sunday from Topanga Mall store after it was targeted by a "mob of criminals." (Credit: ella_ise24/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX)
A video has emerged showing the aftermath of a mob that ransacked a Los Angeles Nordstrom store that police say included the theft of merchandise worth an estimated $60,000 to $100,000.
The Los Angeles Police Department is now vowing to "exhaust all efforts to bring those responsible into custody and seek criminal prosecution," following the incident at the Topanga Mall on Sunday.
Footage taken after the ransacking – which involved a group of 30 to 50 people wearing sweatshirts with hoods over their heads – shows shattered glass and racks of merchandise toppled over inside the Nordstrom store at the mall.
The video shows people inspecting the debris with an alarm blaring in the background.
CALIFORNIA NORDSTROM RANSACKED IN HUGE ‘FLASH MOB’ SMASH-AND-GRAB
Merchandise and racks are seen strewn on the floor of a Nordstrom store in the Los Angeles area on Sunday after it was targeted by a flash mob. (ella_ise24/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX)
"Today at around 4 p.m., a mob of criminals stole items from the Topanga Mall with an estimated loss of $60,000 to $100,000. Topanga Division officers were on the scene quickly and have several investigative leads. To criminals, it is just property taken," the Los Angeles Police Department wrote on X.
"To those who live in the area and patronize the Topanga Mall it is a loss of feeling safe," the LAPD added.
Footage capturing the ransacking in progress showed suspects inside the department store rushing to its front entrance with bags in hand, scooping up whatever merchandise they can while tripping on racks to which some items were still attached.
FOX 11 in Los Angeles reported that police said the mall was not evacuated, and one man who was sprayed with bear repellant was treated by paramedics.
CALIFORNIA HIGH-END STORE RAIDED BY DOZENS OF MASKED THIEVES WHO ESCAPE IN WAITING GETAWAY CARS
Broken glass seen on the floor of the Nordstrom store at the Topanga Mall. (ella_ise24/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX)
This was the second "flash mob" to take place in Los Angeles County within the past week.
On Aug. 8, a mob of thieves was seen on video as they fled a Yves Saint Laurent store in Glendale, California, in broad daylight, getting away with armloads of merchandise worth an estimated $300,000.
Once the group fled the store, they got into waiting vehicles nearby, the station reported.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement about the Nordstrom flash mob on Saturday.
"What happened today at the Nordstrom in the Topanga Mall is absolutely unacceptable," she said. "Those who committed these acts and acts like it in neighboring areas must be held accountable."
"The Los Angeles Police Department will continue to not only find those responsible for this incident, but to prevent these attacks on retailers from happening in the future," Bass added.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.
