Adam Johansson’s 15-year-old son was robbed Sunday night in a bathroom at Westfield Topanga Mall.
“I was really hurt last night and today I’m angry,” he said. “You think going to the Topanga mall at 6 p.m. on a Sunday is an OK place for your kids to be.”
His son and four friends say they had eaten dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and then walked through the mall, stopping near the dining terrace to use the men’s room when his son says he noticed three men following behind them.
“They searched their pockets, took cell phones, wallets, cash, credit cards, real ID, school pass, bus pass, everything.”
In a statement from Westfield Topanga management, they say safety is a top priority and that they are “partnering with local law enforcement to investigate the incident.”
There is no word on whether any footage exists of the suspects entering or leaving the mall.
There have been a series of crimes at the Topanga mall. In November a group of five robbers sprayed a security guard with bear spray and stole more than $25,000 worth of purses from the Nordstrom department store.
In January, a jewelry heist sent LAPD officers searching for another group of five robbers. In both cases, the culprits escaped.
“My son and the boys didn’t fight back,” Johansson said. “They were really scared but the men punched two boys in the face. It was horrifying.”
“I’m just tired of going out and not feeling safe and having your kids not be able to go to the mall at 6 p.m. is just not acceptable.”