UPDATE Jan. 29, 2015, 10: 57 a.m.: This story has been updated to include information from the Manhattan Beach Police Department, including the suspects’ ages, cities, charges and court date.
Manhattan Beach City Councilman Tony D’Errico was standing in the doorway of Bella Beach, his clothing store on Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Sunday afternoon when he noticed three young girls who looked suspicious. Two of the girls walked out of the store. Then the third the hurriedly followed.
“The third girl almost bowled me over,” he said. “She banged right into me.”
D’Errico’s wife Kris and an employee soon noticed a bracelet was missing, prompting D’Errico to review the store’s security camera. It showed one of the girls taking a bracelet, he said.
D’Errico rushed out into the crowded street, where the downtown Sidewalk Sale was underway, and confronted the three girls.
“I said, ‘Young ladies, you stole something from my store,’ and they got indignant,” he said. “I held one by the arm, and the other started beating me.”
D’Errico let the girls go and watched them get into an SUV. As he photographed the car’s license plate, the driver beeped her horn and asked him to approach. He told the driver that the girls had stolen from his store.
“The woman said, ‘Oh my God, this has got to stop. Call the police,’” D’Errico said.
The girls yelled, “The police? It was only a bracelet.”
Kris D’Errico called the police. When they arrived, they searched the girls.
“Slowly but surely, merchandise starts appearing,” said D’Errico.
The girls allegedly stole from nine stores during the Sidewalk Sale, and were arrested on charges of shoplifting, possession of stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime. They were ages 14, 14 and 13, and were from Culver City, Marina Del Rey and Palmdale, according to police. The department did not release their names because they are juveniles. They are scheduled to appear at Inglewood Juvenile Court on Mar. 30.
D’Errico said that there was at least $700 worth of merchandise from Manhattan Denim alone. He alerted his neighboring store owners, whose merchandise was then returned to them.
“The good news is that all but one store had their merchandise back,” said D’Errico.
D’Errico said this was the second time this month that his store had been the victim of a shoplifter.
“As a business owner, you have to be vigilant,” he said. “You’re kidding yourself if you think it doesn’t go on.” ER
