TORRANCE, Calif. — Two suspects accused of attempting a smash-and-grab robbery at a California mall likely didn’t plan on members of the military being inside to stop their getaway.
The Torrance Police Department said that its officers were called to a jewelry store inside a mall, but before officers even arrived on site, the suspects had been taken into custody.
Police told KTTV that four people wearing hoodies and covering their faces used hammers to smash the displays of a jewelry store at the Del Amo Fashion Center. The group grabbed as much jewelry as they could, but only two of the suspects escaped from the mall.
Marine Staff Sgt. Josue Fragoso was speaking to an applicant in the recruiting office inside the mall when he heard glass shatter and rushed toward the sound, KNBC reported. He said he saw four people, one of whom was armed with a hammer.
Fragoso and other Marine recruiters and bystanders were able to detain two of the suspects until police arrived, KTTV reported.
“Personally, it makes me feel good that there are still people out here willing to help out,” TPD Sgt. Alexander Martinez told KCBS. “But, from the police department side, we don’t encourage people to step in and try to take matters into their own hands. We prefer that people just be kind of good witnesses and try to get as much information as they can to provide to police departments, so when we respond we can locate those individuals.”
Officers responded to masked suspects with hammers & gloves stealing from a jewelry store within the mall. The suspects fled but nearby military personnel & by-standers held 2 suspects until TPD arrived. Great work to all involved & shout-out to @USMC Recruitment #SouthBay! 🇺🇸👏 pic.twitter.com/RH8ZdjpODr
— Torrance Police (@TorrancePD) December 21, 2022
Both suspects were identified as minors. Police told KTTV that they were able to recover a “large amount” of jewelry at the scene.
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