ARLETA, SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (KABC) -- Police are searching for several suspects who used a stolen vehicle to crash into a clothing store in Arleta before robbing the shop and taking off.

Officers responded to the strip mall on Woodman Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. They found a truck smashed into the front of the New Star clothing store, but the suspects had already fled the scene in another stolen vehicle.

Authorities say among the items stolen were custom jewelry and clothing. An estimated value for the stolen merchandise was not provided.

"It's just sad because it getting to be an every day thing for us," said Arleta Neighborhood Council Vice President Jaime Gallow, who blames cases like this on a lack of strict law enforcement that he says practically encourages people to commit crimes.

"We feel like criminals have more rights than we do," he said.

Investigators said they obtained surveillance video of the smash-and-grab and are reviewing it to search for more clues.

"Crime is on the rise. The same thing can happen to you as you're walking to your car. So we all could be victims," said Gallow. "We advise people to be careful and be aware of their surroundings."

Source - https://abc7.com/arleta-burglary-stolen-car-crashes-into-store/14004661/

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Thieves targeted a Wicker Park store early Saturday in at least the fifth crash-and-grab in Chicago in the last four days.

It happened at around 4:57 a.m. at the Urban Jungle in the 1300 blk. of N. Milwaukee.

According to police, a group of five suspects drove an SUV in to the store and took off with merchandise.

The suspects left the crashed SUV at the scene and took off in two waiting vehicles, police said.

On Friday, Chicago police issued a community alert warning businesses about these brazen crash-and-grab burglaries.

Burglars recently hit other clothing stores in the South Loop, River North, River East and East Village.

That's why on Friday, the owners of Urban Jungle said they requested the city place planters in front of their store.

"We were told we would have them by 2 p.m. but never got them," said John, one of the co-owners. "Other stores got them but we were left like sitting ducks."

John said he thinks this is the same crew hitting other stores like theirs but police have not yet linked this latest incident. Urban Jungle is a streetwear, sneakers and vintage store.

Urban Jungle opened in Oct. 2021. John said they were hit last month when burglars threw a rock through their window.

But he said this time was much worse. He said estimates they got away with about $100,000 in merchandise.

Source - https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-crash-and-grab-wicker-park-urban-jungle-smash/13985135/

QUEENS, New York (WABC) -- Police are searching for a pair of FBI agent-posing thieves who made off with a fortune during a violent home invasion in Queens.

The attack happened on Sunday around 7:30 a.m. at a building near Main Street and Elder Avenue, not far from Kissena Park.

Police say the victims, a 25-year-old man and 31-year-old woman, were returning to their home, when they were approached by two men in a black Porsche Cayenne who identified themselves as FBI agents and displayed guns in their waistbands.

The two men then tased the victims and tied them up before making off with the victims' 2019 Mercedes-Benz GT50, about $20,000 in cash and another $20,000 in cryptocurrency.

The thieves also stole a Rolex watch, designer handbags and a cellphone.

The suspects then fled in both the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz in an unknown direction.

Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.

Police have released surveillance video and photos of the men wanted in connection to the attack.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on Twitter @NYPDTips.