Package ran live on NewsWaves 32 on Feb. 6.
Malibu Country Mart employees said they are continually struggling with theft around the area and have had several products stolen.
Although general crime in Malibu is down by 11%, according to the City of Malibu crime report from LASD, Country Mart employees said they aren’t seeing that reflected.
“We have had a lot of people come in and steal recently,” said Monica Rosso, an employee at Malibu Colony.
In 2022, LASD reported 77 burglaries in Malibu, and in 2023, LASD reported 10 fewer, 67 burglaries — according to the report.
Although the report does not specify where these burglaries took place, Country Mart employees said the Country Mart is a hotspot for it.
In 2023, Maxfield had over $500,000 worth of product stolen, all in broad daylight in July 2022, said Christa Weissmuller, general manager at John Varvatos. The owner caught the whole incident on camera but wasn’t able to do anything about it except for let the thieves go.
“We can’t do anything really or chase them out if there is a situation,” Weissmuller said.
Fred Segal also had over $1,000 worth of products stolen in December, according to the Malibu Times.
Lululemon employee Brayden Warchus said their business also struggles with theft, but as employees, they also just have to let it happen.
“We kind of have to let them go,” Warchus said.
Warchus said companies think their employees are at greater risk if they interfere, so they do not have clear guidelines on what to do if they see theft except for to not get involved.
“Us getting involved — us doing anything — is more of a liability risk for the company than standing there doing nothing,” Warchus said.
Weissmuller said LASD put up surveillance cameras in the middle of the Country Mart last year to catch any thefts on video.
In addition, Weissmuller said LASD is working on adding a satellite system, so officers at LASD can always watch the Country Mart, even when they aren’t physically there.
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Contact Abby Wilt via Twitter (@abby_wilt) or by email: abby.wilt@pepperdine.edu