This morning, Thursday, Aug. 17, the Glendale Police Dept. announced its first arrest related to the Yves Saint Laurent flash mob burglary.
During an arrest operation conducted on Thursday morning, Glendale police detectives  arrested 23-year-old Ivan Isaac Ramirez of Los Angeles as the first person directly connected to the flash mob burglary at the Americana at Brand.

Ramirez is currently in Glendale police custody and was booked on several charges including organized retail theft, burglary, grand theft and conspiracy.

A second suspect, 21-year-old Brianna Jimenez of Los Angeles, is currently outstanding. Detectives have a warrant for her arrest, and they are actively looking for her.

The flash mob burglary unfolded at the Yves Saint Laurent store on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The incident was caught on camera by numerous by-standers and sent shockwaves through the Glendale community. In this daytime burglary, at least 30 suspects flooded into the YSL store and fled with an estimated $400,000 in merchandise.

Since the original crime, Glendale police detectives have been collaborating closely with Americana security and representatives from YSL to piece together details of the crime. The investigation remains ongoing as they meticulously gather evidence and analyze leads.

“I assure all members of the Glendale community and the broader Los Angeles region that these brazen smash-and-grab robberies and burglaries will not be tolerated. This marks the first arrest related to this crime and there are more arrests to come,” said Glendale Police Chief Manny Cid.

Crime tips, videos and support from the Glendale community and business partners has been pivotal in moving this investigation forward.
Caruso, owner of the Americana at Brand, announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information that assists in the identification, arrest and conviction of the suspects responsible for the YSL crime.

As a response to the recent surge in “flash mob” style burglaries, LAPD has announced the formation of the Organized Retail Crime Task Force. The Glendale Police Dept. has joined this coalition of regional law enforcement partners to arrest those that have taken part in these retail robberies and burglaries. The task force will work to proactively put an end to these types of crimes, to develop leads and make arrests.

These flash mob burglaries involve a large, coordinated group of individuals simultaneously rushing into the store, overwhelming staff and taking it over. The suspects grab as much merchandise as possible before fleeing in multiple vehicles. These types of crimes often will be done in a two- or three-minute time frame.

The Glendale Police Dept. asks anyone with information to assist in this case to contact them immediately by calling (818) 548-4911. To remain anonymous, call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.