Black Friday chaos sees Home Depot smash and grab as teen thieves aged 15 to 20 take off with hammers and crowbars

TEEN thieves descended on Home Depot as part of a smash and grab robbery before taking off with sledgehammers and crowbars amid Black Friday chaos across the US.

Up to ten young men – believed to be aged 15 to 20 – stormed the DIY store on Hardwick Street in Lakewood, Los Angeles at around 7.45pm.

Employees said the mob pulled up in vehicles with ski masks on before grabbing multiple tools and fleeing into several waiting cars.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the entire hammer section was cleared by the suspects.

It is feared the brazen looters may have been stocking up on tools to equip them for future heists.

Employee Luis Romo told Fox11: "We tried to stop then and closed the front entrance and they put their sledgehammers up.

"Whoever got in the way they were going to hurt them. They actually threatened a customer but he got away."

The incident remains under investigation. No arrests have yet been reported.

It comes after a series of audacious smash and grab robberies sweeping the area on Black Friday.

In a similar raid, a group of up to 30 people robbed a Best Buy store in Burnsville, Minnesota on the same day as the shopping holiday.

The suspects stole electronics and fled before cops arrived, but were said to have not been armed during the incident.

Police were on a citywide tactical alert on Friday after a series of violent incidents seeing thieves make off with thousands in merchandise.

One gang made off with loot from a Bottega Veneta store in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, after pepper-spraying an employee and grabbing what they could.

An armed trio also swiped a Rolex watch from a jewelry store on Melrose Avenue at around 7pm with a handgun.

The worrying spike in violent robberies has seen many stores fork out for private security in a bid to protect their property.

Louis Schillace, a senior general manager at Westfield Century City, assured shoppers: "We are monitoring the situation with smash-and-grab robberies around the county very closely.

"We have a great relationship with LAPD and local authorities and are working with them to make sure we’re fully prepared.

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