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The Los Angeles Police Department will deploy additional patrols and detectives following a series of armed robberies at three cellphone stores Monday night in what has become a current trend where organized gangs of thieves loot retail stores for thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. in a few seconds.
The robberies all took place in the San Fernando Valley area, the LAPD told Fox News. All involved at least three suspects but no arrests were made.
CALIFORNIA WOULD BE VICTIM MANAGED TO GET THE GUN FROM THIEVES, USES IT AGAINST THEM BY SHOOTING A KILLED
Investigators are investigating whether the incidents are related. The LAPD said a similar incident also occurred in Duarte, a suburb nearly 22 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
A police spokeswoman did not reveal which cellphone stores were targeted, but a search revealed T-Mobile locations in areas where the thefts took place. Fox News contacted the telecommunications giant.
Los Angeles has seen a surge in organized gangs of thieves raiding stores, sometimes violently in front of stunned shoppers. Last week, the LAPD announced the arrests of two adults and four minors believed to be linked to four flash mob incidents.
Malls like the Beverly Center and The Grove were targeted along with a swap meet where cash and jewelry were taken. In one incident, a suspect knocked down a pregnant employee. A security guard was attacked with bear spray in another.
No retailer is particularly safe as pharmacies, convenience stores and cannabis stores have also been ransacked in recent weeks. Some flights are coordinated online through social media and messaging apps, authorities said.
The LAPD has also formed a task force to deal with the increase in armed robbery where robbers follow victims to their homes or an isolated area to rob them.
Critics attribute the crime wave to a perceived lack of consequences due to no-bail rules and laws that have reduced sentences for such crimes.
Photo of a security guard being hit with bear spray.
(Los Angeles Police Department)
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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon’s office has pledged to hold accountable those arrested for such crimes.
