6 arrested in $90,000 flash-mob style robbery at Southern California mall

Six people, four adults and two juveniles, were arrested in connection with a flash-mob style robbery late last week at the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park that was captured on video, authorities announced Sunday.  

Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department say that on Oct. 4 a total of 12 suspects hit two retailers inside the mall located in the 21700 block of Victory Boulevard at around 5:15 p.m. 

“The suspects, who were wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts, overwhelmed the security and knocked over numerous display shelves,” an LAPD news release stated.  

The thieves were able to make off with more than $90,000 worth of merchandise, police added.

LAPD’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force responded to the mall and assumed the investigation. Working alongside LAPD Topanga area officers, investigators were quickly able to identify potential suspects involved in the crime and some of the getaway vehicles used.  

Just after 9:30 p.m. on the same evening, officers located and stopped one of the vehicles used to flee the scene. All five occupants were detained, with detectives saying the suspects were identified “as being present and actively involved in the robbery.”  

Three adults and two juveniles were arrested and booked for robbery.  

Another arrest was made just before midnight in officers with the Huntington Beach Police Department detained a female behind the wheel of another vehicle used to flee the “flash robbery.”  

“Inside the vehicle, HBPD located and recovered stolen property that ORCTF detectives verified as being taken during the Flash Robbery,” the release noted.  

The woman was arrested and booked on felony possession of stolen property.  

Four of the adult suspects were identified as: 

• 22-year-old L.A. resident Joshua Jones, held on more than $1 million bail 

• 19-year-old L.A. resident Amaya McDonald, held on $15,000 bail 

• 18-year-old L.A. resident Justin Jones, held on $150,000 bail 

• 26-year-old L.A. resident Rajene Robinson, held on no bail 

Police are still searching for the remaining six suspects.  

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact LAPD’s Commercial Crimes Division, Organized Retail Crime Section detectives at 818-374-9437. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.