Four suspects, all young men/juveniles, walked in to the Ulta Beauty store at 12300 block of Seal Beach Boulevard, on Nov. 7., at around 6:40 p.m. They were not there to buy makeup!
The suspects were there to steal expensive beauty products. Even worse they threatened a store employee with pepper spray, according to the Seal Beach Police Department.
The police posted two surveillance videos and several pictures of the young men on their Facebook page. They also posted this warning to the suspects:
We have quite the following and hitting the “SHARE” button is about as easy as getting a job which, judging by the felonies you’re committing, may not be on your radar at the moment. What is on the radar, is you. Congratulations, now you have our attention. Especially the guy in the light blue zip up. Make better life choices, or we’ll make them for you.
If you recognize the suspects please call the Seal Beach Police at 562-799-4100 ext 1110.
The suspects all appear to be Hispanic. They all had dark hair. All of them were wearing hoodies. One had an Angels cap and another had a curly Edgar or broccoli style haircut.
Here are the potential penalties the suspects could face under California law:
- Robbery (Penal Code § 211)
- Defined as taking property from someone’s immediate presence by force or fear.
- First-degree robbery: 3, 4, or 6 years in state prison.
- Second-degree robbery: 2, 3, or 5 years in state prison.
- Robbery is a violent felony and a strike under California’s Three Strikes Law.
- Assault with Pepper Spray (Penal Code § 245)
- Using pepper spray offensively (not in self-defense) can be treated as assault with a weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury.
- Penalty: Up to 4 years in state prison and/or fines up to $10,000.
- Organized Retail Theft (Penal Code § 490.4)
- Acting with others to steal merchandise for resale or return for value.
- If total stolen value exceeds $950 (aggregated over 12 months), can be charged as a felony.
- Penalty: Up to 3 years in state prison; misdemeanor charges carry up to 1 year in county jail.
- Enhancements for Threatening a Store Employee
- Threatening with pepper spray may add an aggravating factor, increasing sentencing severity.
- Courts often consider this as an element of force or fear in robbery charges.
Here are the possible fines and restitution obligations for each offense under California law:
Robbery (Penal Code § 211)
- Fines: Up to $10,000 for a felony conviction.
- Restitution: Courts typically order restitution to the victim for:
- Value of stolen property.
- Any medical expenses or other losses caused by the crime.
Assault with Pepper Spray (Penal Code § 245)
- Fines: Up to $10,000 if charged as a felony; up to $1,000 if charged as a misdemeanor.
- Restitution: Includes:
- Medical costs for the victim.
- Costs related to property damage or cleanup from the pepper spray incident.
Organized Retail Theft (Penal Code § 490.4)
- Fines:
- Felony: Up to $10,000.
- Misdemeanor: Up to $1,000.
- Restitution:
- Full repayment for stolen merchandise.
- Additional restitution for any damage caused during the theft (e.g., broken displays).