SANTA MONICA—Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department emailed the Canyon News noting that they are investigating a smash-and-grab style robbery that transpired on November 27. The SMPD reported at approximately 10:55 a.m., officers were dispatched to the The Real Real located near the 200 block of 26th Street. The robbery involved multiple suspects.
During the investigation, officers learned that four masked suspects entered the luxury resale location and forced their way past the front door security. After inside the establishment, they used hammers to smash multiple display cases containing brand-name purses worth over $50,000. The suspects fled the scene in a waiting vehicle.
In August 2023, a rise in organized retail thefts prompted the SMPD to join the Los Angeles Police Department in the formation of the Los Angeles County Organized Retail Crime Taskforce (ORCT). The taskforce combines resources from various agencies to investigate and prosecute the organized retail theft rings that are frequently behind these crimes.
The theft incident is being investigated by the taskforce, which has arrested over 90 individuals for similar crimes. Anyone with additional details is asked to contact Santa Monica’s ORCT representative, Detective M. Castruita at Michael.Castruita@santamonica.gov.
