Three suspects stole everything they could carry early Tuesday morning after breaking into a self-defense store in Los Angeles County.
The early morning break-in occurred around 3:40 a.m. in the 7600 block of Van Nuys Boulevard. The suspects were casually perusing the premises in full view of several security cameras, one of which initially attempted to open the front door.
With the front door locked, the suspects chose to break a window and climb into the store. The three suspects grabbed whatever they could before officers arrived.
Mike Mahfoud, the store’s owner, said the suspects stole Tasers, projectiles and several less-lethal Byrna pistols, which can fire pepper-filled projectiles.
“They are very effective and can actually cause damage,” Mahfoud said.
Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived after the broken glass set off the store’s alarm, but they made no arrests as the suspects exited through the back.
“It took them 22 minutes, which is a long time,” Mahfoud said.
Investigators were unable to describe the suspects. The store owner said they have not counted the exact amount of the losses.
“It’s only getting worse,” Mahfoud said. “The only difference is that we used to see it once a month. Now we see it once a day, once a week, twice a week.”
Crews have boarded up the broken window. Mahfoud hopes he won’t have to deal with any more burglars.
“We want to strengthen the entire area to prevent this from happening again,” he said.
