Beverly Hills: High-End Retail Stores Shuttered amid Smash-and-Grab Epidemic

High-end retail shops in California’s iconic Beverly Hills have reportedly begun to shutter their doors amid an epidemic of smash-and-grab robberies.

In a video posted to Tik ToK, influencer “Nostalgic Angelino” showed over a dozen retailers and restaurants in Beverly Hills shuttered, leaving behind an empty storefront. Per the New York Post:

Some of the businesses include luxury staples like Barneys New York and Escada, with the once-popular brands having filed for bankruptcy in recent years.

Other big name stores now lying empty include former locations for Chanel, Rite Aid, Barnes and Noble, Niketown, and restaurants like Chipotle and Starbucks.

Stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Hermes, Gucci have managed to keep their doors open despite the spike in crime.

High-end retail stores are closing down in Beverly Hills. This will be every city in California if they don’t stop the lootings pic.twitter.com/ghCOvlvU7s

— Clown World ™ (@ClownWorld_) September 6, 2023

Beyond Beverly Hills, the state of California has been suffering a crime wave in the wake of the pandemic. As Breitbart News reported, crime-ridden San Francisco lost its Nordstrom store after 35 years due to a spike in theft.

The state of California has also been afflicted by a severe crime wave in which multiple department stores have fallen prey to smash-and-grab robberies. Also last week, masked thieves in Pasadena, California, looted $500,000 in merchandise from a jewelry store after pepper-spraying the owner, Sam Babikian.

“As soon as I opened the door, I got pepper sprayed right in my eye, my throat, my mouth,” Babikian said. “I couldn’t see anything. Then (all) I could hear was smashing and grabbing.”

“Most of my merchandise is gone,” he added. “Most of the showcases are empty. This one hurts. I’m very grateful they did not harm me, they did not fight. Thank God that nothing happened to me and I’m still alive.”

Fifty people stormed a Los Angeles Nordstrom department store and made off with $60,000 to $100,000 in stolen merchandise on Saturday, leaving broken glass and overturned displays in their wake. pic.twitter.com/W7HHK5pYnz

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 14, 2023

That was followed by masked thieves stealing thousands of dollars in power tools from a Home Depot in Long Beach, California.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state’s highway patrol will be participating in the effort to crackdown on organized crime.

“The state is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to crack down on organized crime and when our local partners need further assistance, we’re ready with a helping hand,” Newsom said in a release.

Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.