Vandals have overrun an abandoned mall, covering its walls in graffiti and turning the property into a magnet for illegal activity that has left it looking like a post-apocalyptic horror movie set — as police calls for service have surged to 402 in just three months.
The Westminster Mall in Orange County, which closed last October, is becoming a hotbed for vandalism and trespassing, KTLA reported.
In the past three months, Westminster cops apprehended individuals with outstanding arrest warrants, and handled nearly 250 complaints, arresting more than two-dozen people, according to police.
In just the last three days, cops arrested 30 people and responded to 57 calls for service, police said in a Facebook post.
Orange County authorities are spreading awareness of vandalism at the Westminster Mall, which closed last October.TikTok / @theteenagedirtbagg
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According to Westminster PD, the mall is boarded up, but people are still are finding ways to enter.TikTok / @theteenagedirtbagg
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“The Westminster mall is closed and no persons are allowed inside,” cops said. “The Westminster Police Department will be conducting full enforcement for any criminal activity committed at the mall.”
Witnesses in the area reported swarms of people painting graffiti inside the mall, with one witness telling KTLA that as recently as this weekend they saw about 60 people at the property at once — with no police or security present.
“This has become a safety issue,” a police spokesperson told KTLA. “Anyone trespassing will be arrested.”
Alexis Malatesta, a former regular at the mall who even threw a goodbye party when it shut down, said she was disappointed by the state of the space she once loved.
Prior to its closing last October, many vacant storefronts were seen at the Westminster Mall in January 2024.MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Preliminary proposals for the Westminster Mall’s redevelopment indicate that the mall could include housing, retail shops or a hotel.MediaNews Group via Getty Images
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“It’s very scary because it’s only a matter of time before something dangerous happens inside the structure,” Malatesta told NBC. “They’re not doing enough to keep people out and protect it.”
Police said they are working with the owners to increase security and are aiming to raise awareness about vandalism at the location.
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