Designer Clothes Seized; 2 Men Arrested

Police Wednesday arrested two Northridge men and seized designer clothes valued at up to $1 million from Virgil’s Fashion at 17269 Vanowen St.

The garments--including items by Ann Taylor, Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan and Tommy Hilfiger--are believed to have been stolen by a shoplifting ring and resold to the store’s operators, said Det. Gilbert Escontrias of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Store owner Virgilio Munoz, 33, and his father-in-law, Efrain Martinez, 55, were arrested at their Northridge home on suspicion of receiving stolen property, police said.

Escontrias said both men were armed with automatic pistols when arrested.

Members of the LAPD’s Burglary Auto Theft Division also served a search warrant at a warehouse at 19722 Winged Foot Way in Northridge.

“This is a major problem in the Southern California area,” Escontrias said. “We are working with the retail people here to identify their property. They are very anxious to get it back.”

Escontrias said all the tags on the clothing were still attached.

He said thefts not only take place in malls, but in specialty stores such as the Armani stores.

“This is a group of professional shoplifters, a ring,” he said. “They train each other how to shoplift and they keep going back to easy spots. We are working with retailers and their security people to make them more aware of how thefts occur.”

Detectives said Virgil’s Fashion sold clothes at 60% to 90% off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.