**L.A. County smash-and-grab task force targets retail robberies '24-7'**
Los Angeles city officials will announce their plans to tackle smash-and-grab robberies at retail stores on Thursday.
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Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department are expected to participate in the news conference at Los Angeles City Hall at 9 a.m.
It comes after the latest smash-and-grab robbery occurred at the Gucci store in Orange County’s South Coast Plaza Wednesday night. A group of five to 10 thieves left with more than $100,000 worth of merchandise, according to NBC 4.
On Tuesday, a group ransacked a high-end denim store on South La Brea, taking off with an estimated $100,000 worth of merchandise. On Aug. 12, 50 people ransacked a Nordstrom department store at the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center in Canoga Park.
Before that, on Aug. 8, a Yves Saint Laurent store at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale was robbed.
Paul Viollis, a security expert, told KNX News’ Jon Baird it’s time for stores need to bring armed security guards.
“The unarmed, hourly group they’re bringing in to check a box simply is not going to work,” he said.
“Certainly not going to counteract or create a countermeasure relative to the organized groups that are perpetrating these crimes.”
Attorney General Rob Bonta said he’s working with the city of L.A. to “assist, support, collaborate, team up, lend our resources, our human power to help with the effort.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is pushing online retailers to ensure their platforms aren’t being used illegally by criminal rings.
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