Police: Man Wearing Oversized Shirt Sought In Panorama City Theft
PANORAMA CITY (CBSLA.com) — Detectives on Wednesday released photos of a man suspected of shoplifting athletic shoes from a Marshalls store in Panorama City.
One theft occurred on the evening of Oct. 13 when store security cameras captured the nearly 6-foot tall Hispanic man placing shoes under his large, untucked shirt.
"These are misdemeanor crimes so we have to identify the man first, then get an arrest warrant before he can be arrested," explained Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Mission Detective Division. "But misdemeanor or not, these are serious crimes because they lead to higher prices for customers and in some cases, high theft occurrences lead to stores closing or moving from neighborhoods."
Thefts account for one-quarter of over 3,900 major crimes reported in the Mission Area - a large percentage of which occur at stores concentrated in Panorama City, detectives said.
The suspect is described as Hispanic, between 30 and 35 years old, and weighing about 210 pounds.
"I would suspect he lives in the neighborhood," Lt. Vernon added. "If he's ripping off one store, he's probably stealing from others too."
Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Detective Randy Elzinga, Mission Burglary Unit, at (818) 838-9882. Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org by clicking on "webtips" and follow the prompts.
