Police Seek Manhattan Beach Shoplifters Who Attacked Ralphs Employee

MANHATTAN BEACH (CBSLA.com) – Police are searching for two female suspects who they say shoplifted at a Manhattan Beach grocery store earlier this year and attacked an employee with a metal club in the process.

Manhattan Beach police report that at about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 4, witnesses observed two women shoplifting at a Ralphs at 2700 Sepulveda Blvd.

According to police, when the suspects realized they were being watched, they ran out of the store and towards a parked vehicle. When a Ralphs employee followed them out and attempted to take down the vehicle's license plate, police said, one of the suspects struck him in the head with a metal club before the two fled in the vehicle.

Just prior to the attack, however, the employee was able to snap a photo of one of the suspects. Police released the photo on Wednesday.

"We don't encourage people to get that close, to take chances like that," Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Tim Zins told CBS2 Wednesday. "We always need whatever help we can get in helping to find suspects, but we don't want witnesses turning into victims and getting that close and something like this happens."

The employee was hurt in the attack, but has since fully recovered.

Anyone who recognizes the woman in the photograph or has information on the case should call police at 310-805-5171.