Community Chat

[stevieb]

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@MorningLover wrote:

KTLA - Los Angeles real estate mogul Rick Caruso offered a simple answer when asked why he believes the city is seeing a surge in "flash mob" style robberies targeting high-end stores.

“They’re successful,” he says. “If you have bad behavior and it’s rewarded, then you continue with bad behavior.”

Caruso, who owns 10 shopping centers in the Southland, discussed Saturday’s mob robbery at Nordstrom in Westfield Topanga Mall which involved between 20 and 50 criminals, police said.

Video shows the thieves rushing through the main floor of the store, grabbing tens of thousands of dollars worth of items, and then running out the door as horrified shoppers look on.

LAPD says a security guard was bear-sprayed during the attack.

The robbery occurred in broad daylight during regular business hours, similar to the robbery at an Yves Saint Laurent store at Caruso’s Americana at Brand shopping mall in Glendale last Tuesday.

“We’re in a crisis,” Caruso says. “They’re happening more and more, and what worries me is they’re becoming more violent.”

While shoppers might blame lax security or general lawlessness in society, Caruso believes politicians and prosecutors share some of the blame.

“We need to be very clear with elected officials: we demand a better, more livable city.  We demand [they] sit up, take note and change the laws and make sure that our district attorney is prosecuting these cases."

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This! Given some are comfortable looking the other way or making excuses for bad behavior so this is what you get.

[jackiejenny]

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@They CallMe MRWILKES wrote:

Only an affluent elitist would condone the behavior since the store is "insured."  How obtuse and dense can one be.  The mindset is unfathomable to me.  In a recent attack store security were bear-sprayed by the thieves.  If caught, they will face heightened charges due to the weaponry. 

I have seen reports of employees being terminated, simply because they called 911 during one of these reprehensible heists.

Fortunately,  New York State is working on a bill making it illegal for an employer to fire retail workers for that reason.

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The poster who condones this abhorrent bahavior claims there are "no losers" 

That this is a win for luxury brands because they get free advertising and "they like it." This maniac behavior drives people to their web sites...really? 

Sorry, everyone loses in these so called smash and grab capers, if for no other reason it shows the degradation of society.

It's called stealing and that's just not okay. 

[They CallMe MRWILKES]

And she contends that the stores like it due to the publicity.

Who thinks like that?

I've read a lot of twisted reasoning on these boards,  and that ranks well up there on the absurdity scale.

[Venezia]

What about in the video of the Nordstrom's robbery - the women (off camera) outside the store, cheering the thieves on and telling them to "hurry" and get away?

Talk about the degradation of society.  I'd be taking photos and calling 911, not applauding the criminals.

[paixmcdao]

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@RetRN wrote:

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@Mersha wrote:

@beach-mom   You might want to go back read your post.

You indicated the officers' "superior," according to the the "one" that you were talking with, advised the officers to be careful in light of looking at someone the wrong way and being caught on film.

Reading your post, I understood you to be relaying what was told to you.

Of course, I am sure all the police officers you know are wonderful.

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Marsha, Marsha, Marsha--are you trying to get this thread removed too? No need to always be so nasty.

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Your response is condescending, juvenile, and unkind to another poster. 

[They CallMe MRWILKES]

In the olden days of organized crime, the supportive cheering women would be called the "molls."

[Venezia]

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@They CallMe MRWILKES wrote:

In the olden days of organized crime, the supportive cheering women would be called the "molls."

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@They CallMe MRWILKES - I agree - but these apparently were simply other people standing outside the store.  Seeing what was happening, they were laughing and yelling to the criminals.  No idea if it was one of that group filming the whole thing; probably given the perspective.  But perhaps they were lookouts; accessories.  Maybe we'll see the video on one of their media accounts.

A shame they can't be prosecuted, too.  I know - they haven't "technically" done anything wrong.  What kind of morals were these people raised with?    (None, I believe is the answer.)

[They CallMe MRWILKES]

I remember when there was a smash and grab in a NYC Apple store they were able to identify every phone stolen and deactivate them.

Maybe they should start putting tracking tags in these high end purses.

[haddon9]

When I see these stories in the news or online it makes me upset to see them get away with this.  They do.  There are very few negative consequences for these new flash mob thieves.  Since they get away with this they are more emboldened to keep on doing it.  It's disgusting!  There is no respect for property and some feel that they have a right to take what they want.

It seems like much of our society is on a downward spiral.  I can't imagine how it's a "win" for everyone....certainly not me. I find it very sad.

I also don't live my life in fear and haven't gone mall shopping for some time but it makes me just not want to visit a mall.

I understand some places of business don't want their employees to get involved.  It could be dangerous.  However, why is it an issue to take photos & call 911?  That I don't understand.

[They CallMe MRWILKES]

Fired for being a good citizen and doing your civic duty. 

What happened to "See Something,  Say Something" we are all asked to participate in?

"Lululemon’s CEO stands by his decision to axe two employees who called the police while three masked men robbed a Georgia outpost, citing the company’s “zero-tolerance policy” for intervening with a robbery as a reason for firing the workers."