Several bystanders watched in surprise as a man stuffed merchandise, including expensive sunglasses, into a bag and fled the Northridge Fashion Center.
Cellphone video of the incident shows the robber walking around a Sunglass Hut store while deciding which items to put in what appeared to be a trash bag.
A security guard arrived at the shop and briefly confronted the suspect but was not able to detain him.
The suspect is then seen running from the store with his bag of goods still in hand.
At one point, the suspect even stops and points at the security guard giving chase but still has time to turn and run out of the mall.
He was wearing a light-colored hat, dark shirt and white pants.