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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Authorities today announced that 14 people have been arrested in connection with 11 robberies from North Hollywood to South Los Angeles but all have been released from custody.
The suspects were released either due to their age, posting bail or zero bail policies, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said.
At least three of the arrests were previously announced, all involving the smash-and-grab robbery by a mob of at least 20 people at the Nordstrom store at the upscale Grove shopping center in the Fairfax district on Nov. 22.
Two suspects were arrested following a similar robbery that occurred at a cellular phone warehouse in North Hollywood on Nov. 21 where over $100,000 worth of property was stolen, Moore said.
The six burglaries, four robberies and one grand theft took place between Nov. 18 and Sunday and involved several suspects working in tandem to steal from various stores, sometimes employing force and intimidation to overwhelm employees during the crimes, Moore said.
``Striking in that small number of crimes was the amount of property that was stolen,'' Moore said. ``$338,000 worth of property was stolen across the 11 robberies, which also caused more than $40,000 worth of property damage.''
It was not immediately known if any of the robberies were connected to one another. The names of the suspects were not released.
Mayor Eric Garcetti advised the public that, despite the string of robberies and recent killing of Jacqueline Avant during a Beverly Hills home invasion, crime statistics indicate Angelenos are `` probably in the safest decade of our lifetimes.''
``I'm always careful when I say that because it means nothing if you're a member of the Avant family or a member of a family that was attacked today,'' Garcetti said.
``We never want to dismiss that, but we also don't want it blow up where everybody thinks that suddenly we're seeing statistics that are way beyond what they actual numbers are.''
Garcetti added that the resources committed to catching the suspects in the string of robberies are intended to keep the public safe during the holiday season.
``We want you to support your local businesses, especially after COVID- 19,'' Garcetti said. ``We want you to be out there shopping and knowing you can do that safely.
``We will be out there to make sure that your family is safe, that the places you love to shop are safe, and so that you can enjoy a holiday season that we have all hungered for after two years of being at home.''
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