20 hit LA Nordstrom store in smash-and-grab break-in

Three suspects were arrested after thieves stormed a Nordstrom store in Los Angeles on Monday night, stealing an unknown amount of merchandise.

Twenty people struck the Nordstrom store at The Grove, a high-end shopping mall, shortly before 11 p.m., according to CBS Los Angeles.

Authorities said the individuals smashed the windows with a sledgehammer before entering. The suspects fled in four vehicles, with police engaging in a pursuit with one of the cars and later arresting three of the people after they attempted to flee on foot.

Just an hour before the Nordstrom theft, a CVS located about 10 miles away was also hit by burglars, who reportedly stole $8,500 in cash. Police are investigating to see if there’s a connection between the two incidents, CBS Los Angeles reported.

California has seen a wave of thefts and department store break-ins. On Saturday, more than 80 people arrived in 25 vehicles and broke into a Nordstrom near San Francisco, stealing up to $200,000 in merchandise, police told local news outlet KTVU.

On Sunday, thieves also broke into a Louis Vuitton and a Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said the California Highway Patrol would step up its presence around such stores amid the rise in break-ins.

“You will see substantially more, starting today, in and around areas that are highly trafficked coming into the holiday season, Black Friday, shopping malls, so the state is supplementing those efforts and we are going to be more aggressive still,” he told reporters at an event on Monday.