Three separate incidents of shoplifting reported at Plaza de La Cañada on same day

Plaza de La Cañada, a shopping center on Foothill Boulevard at Oakwood Avenue, was hit by three incidents of shoplifting May 17 resulting in two arrests and multiple charges, including battery and grand theft, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s reports of the incident indicate two suspects, thought to be connected to similar crimes in Glendale, are still at large.

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Det. Brian Tibbett of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station said the first crime occurred at around 4:10 p.m., when a 45-year-old Asian male from La Crescenta was seen taking items from the cosmetics section of Rite-Aid and placing them into a coat he was wearing.

“The individual went inside and pretty much scooped up a bunch of cosmetics off the counter,” Tibbett said in a phone interview May 19, adding that the man was confronted in the parking lot by the store’s loss prevention officer. “He was seen taking about $600 worth of products from the store. (And) he had over $700 of cosmetics in his trunk.”

The man was arrested for grand theft, according to the detective.

Two hours later, at 6:10 p.m., the Crescenta Valley Station received another call about a shoplifting incident at Gelson’s Market, also located in Plaza de La Cañada. There, a man described as a 29-year-old white male from Sunland wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, was observed shoplifting.

“The individual went inside and started walking around, picking up some food and eating it. Then he went outside without paying,” Tibbett said.

The man was seen preparing a plate at the hot food bar, and then eating from it before placing two bottles of Tazo iced tea in his jacket pockets. He left the store with the items, which provoked the attention of a loss prevention officer who followed him and confronted him about the theft.

“When he was confronted, a scuffle ensued. The individual was ultimately overpowered,” reported Tibbett, adding that while the man was originally arrested for strong-arm robbery, due to his use of force, the crime was ultimately recorded as an incident of shoplifting and battery against the loss prevention officer.

The suspect told deputies he realized he’d forgotten his wallet and had gone outside to get a friend who was waiting in his car. After complaining of increasing pain he was taken to USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, where he was cleared for booking.

According to a sheriff’s report of the incident, the man was also charged with violating parole, as it was learned he is on parole until 2020 regarding a prior conviction for making terrorist threats.

At 7:24 p.m. that same day, an employee with T.J. Maxx, another store in the center, reported two adult black males had stolen eight pairs of True Religion men’s jeans and an unspecified number of men’s T-shirts from the store before fleeing in a red four-door vehicle.

The men placed the items into a shopping cart and left through the second-floor exit without attempting to pay for the items, the employee told deputies. Both suspects matched the description of shoplifting suspects seen operating in Glendale, according to a sheriff’s report of the incident.

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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine