Thieves smash window to enter Costa Mesa market

Four burglars smashed through the front window at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Costa Mesa and stole merchandise, according to authorities.

Officers responded to the Japanese market at 665 Paularino Ave. around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday when an alarm started ringing there, Costa Mesa police Sgt. Doug Johnson said.

Police said someone had smashed a large window with a brick.

Mitsuwa contains smaller individual stores, and the burglars apparently targeted one called Treasures, which sells luxury goods such as designer purses, Johnson said.

Security cameras showed four people wearing gloves and hoodies bending a security gate in front of Treasures so they could get inside, Johnson said. Police said the hoodies hid the burglars’ faces, so no further description of them is available.

After grabbing some items, the group fled the store in an unknown direction, according to police.

It was unclear Wednesday exactly what they took.

“We’re having a hard time getting hold of anybody from Treasures to find out what the loss was,” Johnson said.

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Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck