Burglars Break In to Macy’s, Take Jewelry

Quick working thieves broke into the Macy’s department store at Northridge Fashion Center early Tuesday, stole a substantial amount of jewelry and fled after only four minutes, police said.

“The alarm was tripped at about 3:45 a.m. and was loud,” said Sgt. Bruce Heschong, a burglary detective with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Devonshire station. “Apparently the mall security [guards] were on the other end of the mall and weren’t aware of it.”

Heschong said a group of thieves walked into the mall through an unlocked door, pried open the metal chain gate at the second-floor entrance of the store and stole an undetermined amount of jewelry. Store employees were taking inventory Tuesday to establish what was missing.

No suspects have been identified, but Heschong said the break-in might be connected with similar incidents in recent months.

“I don’t think this was a random incident,” Heschong said.

Construction is underway on the north side of the mall, and at least one door was unlocked to allow workers better access. That situation was remedied Tuesday, Heschong said.