California’s $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Thieves Sentenced

One year after a summer spree of smash-and-grab robberies rattled Los Angeles-area retailers , the thieves involved have been wrangled and brought to justice.

California Brands Remain Skeptical of 'Landmark, First-in-the-Country' Textile Recycling Bill

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced at a press conference Tuesday that eight people involved in robberies at retail stores between May 11, 2023 and Aug. 23, 2023—including a highly-publicized flash mob at a Topanga Nordstrom which saw $300,000 in merchandise pilfered in a single afternoon—have been slapped with hefty prison sentences. Another defendant also pled guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.

Law enforcement brought 25 felony counts against the defendants for their roles in grand thefts and overnight burglaries at Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, and Magnolia Park stores spanning L.A. County, Orange County and Riverside County. The crimes were worth an aggregated $1.7 million.

“I am committed to bringing the full force of the California Department of Justice to fight organized retail crime both in the field and in the courtroom,” Bonta said. “This was not a one-off shoplifting offence, it was a dangerous, coordinated scheme.”

The AG said the rise in retail crime poses a serious threat to SoCal communities and businesses. “I am thankful to our local law enforcement partners and Mayor Bass for their collaboration in this battle against organized retail crime,” he added. “We will not give up until we put a stop to this criminal activity all together.”

Jordan Harris, who pled guilty to carjacking and two counts of grand theft from the YSL in Glendale and the Nordstrom at the Topanga Canyon mall, was sentenced to 10 years and four months in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Another defendant, Kip Henry, pled guilty to one count of robbery at Nordstrom and one count of grand theft from Louis Vuitton in Newport Beach. Due to a prior strike conviction, he was sentenced to seven years and four months.

Devon Perry, who committed grand theft at a Burberry Outlet in Riverside and at the Nordstrom in Topanga, also pled guilty and admitted to a prior strike conviction, leading to a sentence of five years and four months in state prison. Ziona Famoso too pled guilty to a count of robbery from Nordstrom and two counts of grand theft from YSL and Louis Vuitton, and was sentenced to four years and four months.

Alana Hart, who pled guilty to assault with force likely to commit great bodily injury as well as grand theft at a Burberry Outlet was sentenced to four years, while Travelle Hamblet pled guilty to one count of robbery at Nordstrom and a prior strike conviction, leading to a four-year state prison sentence.

Washington, D.C.-Area Lululemon Stores Struck Repeatedly by Thieves

Jason Smith pled guilty to carjacking and was sentenced to three years, Briana Jimenez pled guilty to robbery at YSL and was sentenced to one year in custody and felony probation, and Ivan Ramirez pled guilty to robbery and grand theft at the same store and will be sentenced in 2025.

The spate of crimes was investigated by the L.A. Police Department’s (LAPD) Organized Retail Theft Task Force (ORCTF) alongside the Glendale Police Department, Burbank Police Department, Torrance Police Department, Beverly Hills Police Department, Newport Beach Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

LAPD’s ORCTF was established in late August of last year, prompted by the massive escalation in crimes across the L.A. area. One month later, California Governor Gavin Newsom earmarked $267 million to address organized retail crime through the establishment of localized task forces across 55 law enforcement agencies.

Last month, Governor Newsom’s office announced that since the beginning of 2024, California’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF)—made up of that growing network of state and local law enforcement groups and led by the California Highway Patrol (CHP)—has made 636 arrests and recovered 216,754 stolen goods valued at nearly $5.7 million.

“The guilty pleas and prison sentences for these individuals send a clear message that organized retail crime will not be tolerated in our community,” said LAPD Chief Alan Hamilton. “The diligent work of the Organized Retail Crimes Task Force and the collaboration with the State of California’s Department of Justice have brought justice and safety to our neighborhoods. These outcomes are a testament to our unwavering commitment to protecting the public and upholding the law.”

“These crimes will not be tolerated in the Glendale community,” said Glendale Police Chief Manuel Cid. “Rest assured we have and will continue to bring all of our resources to bear on this issue.”

“Collaboration with our partner agencies is a cornerstone of these arrests,” he added. “I’d like to especially thank the Attorney General’s Office and the Los Angeles Police Department for their partnership and leadership in providing us with the utmost support in ensuring we stand against these crimes together.”

PFAS-Busting Bacteria Discovered By California Environmental Engineers