The Brief

Local authorities are sounding the alarm on organized retail crime following a string of so-called flash mob thefts across Los Angeles County in recent weeks.

Authorities define flash-mob burglaries as a large, coordinated group of people rushing into a store, overwhelming staff and taking as much merchandise as possible before fleeing in multiple cars.

What’s happened in the past month

The most recent series started with a Gucci store at the Westfield Century City mall on Aug. 1. A video posted online shows at least nine people concealed in hoodies dashing out the door with handbags, suitcases and other products in broad daylight.

The Yves Saint Laurent at the Americana at Brand in Glendale was targeted a week later when at least 30 people ransacked the store in the afternoon for an estimated loss of $300,000 worth of goods, police said.

And on Saturday, a Nordstrom store at the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center was sacked by at least 30 people wearing ski masks who stole an estimated $300,000 worth of merchandise. One suspect attacked a security guard with bear spray.

The East L.A. Nike Community Store was targeted Sunday, with roughly $1,000 in shoes stolen by a group of three.

Two more smash-and-grab robberies have occurred in the past week: one at a Gucci store in Costa Mesa and another at Ksubi, a luxury retail store, in Hancock Park.

New task force

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass announced Thursday that she is creating a Multi-Agency Organized Retail Crimes Task Force, which will include local law enforcement, city attorney’s offices, the U.S. Marshals Apprehension Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force. Additionally the task force will create a retail theft hotline and a platform for people to share digital media taken at the scene of flash mob burglaries.

“These criminals, they don’t distinguish between city borders and county borders,” said LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi.

The task force will also include cyber investigators to help identify people involved in retail thefts — including people who buy and sell the merchandise. The force includes individual surveillance teams and investigators from the L.A. County District Attorney’s office, who will investigate the recent incidents with the hope of identifying the flash robbers.

“These are not victimless crimes, especially in the case where Angelenos are attacked through force or fear,” Bass said. “No Angeleno should feel like it is not safe to go shopping in Los Angeles. No entrepreneur should feel like it’s not safe to open a business in Los Angeles.”

A majority of the recent robberies have occurred in the San Fernando Valley, which is where the task force will be housed.

Bass said that after a series of follow-home robberies in 2021, the City created a task force and the number of robberies decreased.

“That’s exactly what will happen this time,” she said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he will triple California Highway Patrol resources in Los Angeles and provide investigators for the regional task force. .

“The CHP is the proven leader in tackling organized retail theft and through this expanded partnership the agency will further assist the city in doing its job to keep Angelenos and their businesses safe,” wrote Newsom in a press release Thursday.

The background

According to the National Retail Foundation’s 2022 Security Survey, retailers lost more than $90 billion nationwide because of retail shrinkage. In an NRF consumer poll this past June, more than half of respondents said they believe more retail crimes have happened in their communities since the coronavirus pandemic began. In Los Angeles, retail theft has increased by 14% since 2022, according to LAPD.

Between Fall 2021 and Aug. 16, the sheriff’s department has seen at least 170 organized retail thefts, said L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna at Thursday’s press conference.

In June, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an online form where people can submit tips and complaints related to retail theft as part of an agreement with retailers and online marketplaces to address organized retail crime. The state also announced required thresholds for high-volume, third-party sellers on online marketplaces and that marketplaces must flag sellers who do not comply with the requirements.

These measures were an expansion of a legislation package Governor Gavin Newsom signed in 2022 to combat the selling of stolen merchandise online, which also greatly expanded the California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force.

The background

Retailers lost more than $90 billion nationwide because of retail thefts, or "shrinkage," according to the National Retail Foundation’s 2022 Security Survey. In Los Angeles, retail theft has increased by 14% since 2022, according to the LAPD.

In June, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an online form where people can submit tips and complaints related to theft as part of an agreement with retailers to address organized retail crime. The state also announced required thresholds for high-volume, third-party online sellers and that marketplaces must flag sellers who do not comply with the requirements.

How you can help

California Attorney General Rob Bonta provided guidance this week to childcare providers on new legal requirements to protect children and their families from immigration enforcement activities.

Under a new law that went into effect this year, childcare providers are not allowed to collect information about a child's or family member’s immigration status, unless necessary under state or federal law. Bonta’s office says there currently is no such requirement, though that could change with federal programs like Head Start.

“Childcare and preschool facilities should be safe and secure spaces so children can grow, learn and simply be children,” Bonta said in a statement.

His office says daycare centers also should not keep information about a formerly enrolled child longer than is required by state law.

The new law also requires facilities to inform the attorney general’s office and the state’s licensing agency if they get any requests for information from law enforcement related to immigration enforcement.

Facilities also must ask families to regularly update a child’s emergency contact information to make sure someone can be reached in case a parent is detained by federal immigration officials.

The Santa Ana winds are here to welcome us into the weekend, bringing warmer temperatures.

The winds will reach Point Mugu to the Santa Clarita Valley, down to Orange County and parts of the Inland Empire valleys and foothills east of the 5 Freeway.

Peak gusts are expected to reach 35 to 55 mph. The western San Gabriel Mountains, Highway 14 corridor, Santa Susana Mountains and the western Santa Monica Mountains are under a high wind warning until 6 p.m., when gusts could reach 65 mph.

As for temperatures, highs for L.A. County beaches will reach the upper 70s and up to the low 80s for inland areas.

Parts of Orange County and Coachella Valley will see temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s, with the warmest areas expected to reach 88 degrees.

Getting together with friends at a bar or pub tends to get a lot harder when children and needy pets enter the mix. One solution — Breweries! Beer gardens! Brewpubs!

Because parents (of kids and pets) want to go out, too — and not necessarily to a fast food restaurant with an indoor playground and no beer.

Thankfully, the Orange County suburbs where I live have gotten on board with my family- and pet-friendly craft brewery dreams. The key ingredients for me are spacious patios, a water bowl for the pooch, and food — either made onsite or, at the least, easy and quick to order and get delivered from somewhere else. Board and pub games are an added bonus.

Plus, of course, great beer from small, independent, local breweries. On the beer front, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of beer I encountered on my self-arranged tour of breweries in the Costa Mesa-Huntington Beach area.

Gone are the dark, dank days of nothing but IPA (IYKYK); now, you can find everything from pickle-tinged blondes, to mild sours, to rich and creamy stouts. If you’re not a big beer fan, every place I visited also had their own craft-made hard seltzers on the menu, as well as some non-alcoholic beverages.

Here are some of my favorites:

Riip (Huntington Beach)

Riip in Huntington Beach has two spots with full kitchens specializing in pizza and a wide variety of IPAs and other beer styles.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Riip has been a family favorite since the company opened its first tasting room in Sunset Beach in 2015, with board games and tables the kids could write on. They have since expanded a lot, with a pizzeria next door and another location near Fountain Valley, which also serves excellent pizza, and has a small arcade to keep the kiddos busy.

One thing they do especially well: For serious IPA drinkers, Riip is your place. They usually have at least half a dozen different IPAs on tap, along with a decent variety of other beers, lighter and darker.

This place is great for … dinner after the kids’ [insert sport] game. Also for date night.

At Flashpoint Brewing Company in Huntington Beach, you can check out the brewing vats and other machinery up close while enjoying the results.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Flashpoint Brewing Co. (Huntington Beach)

I only recently discovered Flashpoint, which opened in 2020 on an industrial street near Huntington Beach Central Park. I actually love this aspect of craft brewery taprooms: they’re often located outside of trendy food and retail areas because they need to be able to actually brew beer there as well as serve it.

Flashpoint has a big patio lit with fairy lights. The tall doors of their brewing area, and an adjacent room with the taps and more tables are rolled up during opening hours, giving it a spacious, indoor-outdoor feel.

One thing they do especially well: All the beers I tried were highly drinkable. In other words, not crazy hoppy or overly heavy on flavors. The nectarine sour was especially good, refreshing with just the right amount of tartness.

This place is great for … An early evening toast, watching the clouds turn pink.

Green Cheek Beer Co. in Costa Mesa serves great beer and food, including shareable, snackable items like pad thai cauliflower.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Green Cheek Beer Co. (Costa Mesa)

Green Cheek Beer Co. now has three locations in Orange County and one in Oceanside. Their Costa Mesa spot is conveniently located not far from the city’s Bark Park. So, naturally, after my pooch has fun, I deserve a cold one.

Green Cheek has a huge covered patio filled with long picnic tables. My dog, Ace, was very happy to find a bowl of water set out for their canine visitors, and lots of pets from the humans.

One thing they do especially well: Green Cheek makes great beer. But what I love most about their Costa Mesa spot is that you can soak up the alcohol with food, including smash burgers, tots, and pad thai cauliflower, from their good and reliably fast kitchen.

This place is great for … reading a book, or making a new friend! Their long picnic tables make it easy to opt in or out of the surrounding social scene.

Bootlegger's Brewery outside the LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa has a quiet patio for day drinking, and a lively trivia night scene.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Bootlegger’s Brewery (Costa Mesa)

Within walking distance of Green Cheek is Bootlegger’s Brewery. Bootlegger’s started in Fullerton, and now also has tasting rooms in Costa Mesa and Redlands.

Their Costa Mesa spot is on the outskirts of the LAB Anti-Mall, a collection of small businesses and restaurants, at least one of which will deliver food to your table. A section of the parking lot has been turned into a nice outdoor patio with sun shades for daytime and heat lamps for chillier evening hours.

One thing they do especially well: Their Kosher Crusher pickle blonde ale. They debuted it last fall and it is seriously good — light, refreshing, and just a little bit zesty.

This place is great for … “working” on a Friday afternoon (I was not the only one there typing one-handed on my laptop with a beer in the other), and then inviting friends to join you for happy hour.

There's an ambiance for everyone at Salty Bear Brewing Co. in Costa Mesa.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Salty Bear Brewing Company

Salty Bear is part of The Camp, an uber-cool retail and restaurant complex also within walking distance of Green Cheek and Bootlegger’s (you can do a tasting tour!).

Salty Bear is worth a visit for the aesthetics alone. It has a great bar with midcentury tiling and dimpled red leather. The sprawling, leafy outdoor patio provides plenty of room for the kids to wander.

One thing they do especially well: Their Coastline Strawberry Blonde made me nostalgic for the fruity beers that got me hooked on craft beer in my 20s — but so much better.

This place is great for … Kickin’ it on the patio with friends, either listening to live music, or letting your kids practice performing on the teepee-themed outdoor stage.

Other options in OC south of the 405:

Steady Kitchen and Taps, 18055 Magnolia St, Fountain Valley

Synth Beer Company, 2960 Randolph Av, Costa Mesa

Brewing Reserve of California, 2930 College Ave D, Costa Mesa