Police recovered $300,000 worth of stolen merchandise after serving a warrant to two stores in the Westlake District area.
It happened at two storefronts at Sixth and Alvarado Street on Wednesday.
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Officers were serving search warrants as part a “three-pronged operation focusing on the flash mob thieves, street vendors selling the stolen property, and receivers of the stolen property,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Rampart Division.
Photos shared by the department show that some of the stolen items appeared to be diapers and energy drinks among other items.
It’s unclear if any arrests were made in that operation.
Not all merchandise stolen in L.A. are resold in L.A. That’s according to Lt. Sergio Perez, commander of the California Highway Patrol’s retail theft task force. He said during KNX News’ Smash & Grab: Stealing the Season townhall that stolen merchandise can be sold anywhere in California.
“My team itself here in the Los Angeles area… have actually gone out traveled up through Northern California down to back to Southern California and stolen product and merchandise from retailers and come down here to Southern California and sold them to different areas,” he said.
You can watch all of "Smash & Grab: Stealing the Season – A KNX News Townhall" by clicking here.
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