Residents to the Rescue at Benton’s

By ALEXANDRIA BORDAS | Reporter

A suspect carrying an armful of stolen GoPro cameras shouted “Tough luck for you!” while running out the front door of Benton’s The Sport Shop on Sunday, Aug. 23, according to store owner Bob Benton.

Benton said the floor manager quickly ran after the suspect while screaming at passersby that the man she was chasing was a thief.

“It was about 12:30 p.m. and a man comes in looking like he’s going to put something on the counter but instead he goes to the GoPros, clips the lock and runs out before my manager even processed what was happening,” Benton told the Palisadian-Post.

A few good Samaritans aided the panicked store manager, including Highlands resident Linnard Lane and another unidentified man who had just received his first pedicure.

The chase culminated in the courtyard near Pinocchio in Cucina.

Lane told the Post he was visiting the Palisades Farmers Market with his wife on Sunday when he looked over and saw a guy run out of Benton’s.

“I saw the store manager soon follow shouting, ‘Stop that man! He stole a bunch of stuff!’” Lane said.

Without hesitating, Lane said he sprinted down Monument Avenue after the suspect.

Cornered in the courtyard, the alleged thief threw several GoPro cameras at the pursuers, who returned the cameras to the store.

The suspect made a quick getaway, however, and eventually fled on a bicycle down Sunset Boulevard before officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived.

Benton said he couldn’t believe that two strangers joined in the chase along with his manager and he was amazed at their bravery.

“It just really shows everyone that there are people out there willing to do those types of things freely for other people,” Benton said. “My wife, Sue Kohl, and I would just like to personally thank you all for your efforts on behalf of my store and my employee.”