One arrest has been made in the recent robbery of an Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) store in Los Angeles. Ivan Isaac Ramirez, 23, has been taken into custody for his alleged involvement in the massive theft of $400,000 worth of merchandise from the Glendale Americana at Brand. Police are currently searching for another suspect, Brianna Jiminez, 21, who is still at large.
The robbery, which occurred on August 15, involved a group of approximately 30 thieves who stormed into the YSL store wearing dark clothes and masks. Videos of the incident posted online showed the thieves quickly grabbing merchandise before fleeing the scene. The criminals made their escape with the stolen goods in a short amount of time and were met by about 20 waiting cars, according to police.
Ramirez has been arrested and booked on several charges, including organized retail theft, burglary, grand theft, and conspiracy. Glendale Police Chief Manuel Cid expressed his determination to not tolerate such crimes in his city. He stated, “I assure all members of the Glendale community and the broader Los Angeles region that these brazen smash-and-grab robberies and burglaries will not be tolerated. This marks the first arrest related to this crime and there are more arrests to come.”
In another recent incident, a group of approximately 20 to 50 suspects targeted a Nordstrom store northwest of Los Angeles, using a similar “flash mob” style robbery. The suspects were seen on footage ransacking the department store and even attacking security guards with bear spray. This incident, along with the YSL robbery, highlights the increasing prevalence of such crimes in California.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the YSL robbery or the whereabouts of Brianna Jiminez to come forward and assist with the investigation. The search for the remaining suspects involved in the robbery continues, and law enforcement officials are determined to bring all those responsible to justice.