Man Arrested for Theft in Hollywood Shopping Center

A man was arrested for theft Monday afternoon in the parking lot of the Hollywood Shopping Center, after an undercover gang detective broke up a fight between the suspect and the man he stole from.  

According to Dist. 1 Commander Maj. Hector Velez, the victim left REI, 9801 Rhode Island Ave., shortly before 4 p.m., placing his newly purchased items in his car before heading back into the store.

Upon returning his car for the second time, the victim found that his purchases were missing. He accused a man standing nearby of having taken the items, and a fight between the two ensued. 

The altercation began verbally, but became more severe, Velez said. 

A nearby undercover gang detective saw the fight, and approached the men in attempt to break them up, Velez said. When the men failed to stop fighting, the detective pulled out his gun and ordered the suspect to the ground. 

Meanwhile, dispatchers received reports of an "armed male" in the shopping center parking lot. Police arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, but the arrest they made was not the undercover detective brandishing the gun -- it was the man on the ground accused of stealing the items. 

Police could not disclose the identities of the victim or suspect at this time.