LOS ANGELES, CA – A woman accused of shoplifting at a South Bay 7-Eleven used a makeshift flamethrower to attack an employee who confronted her, according to police.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 12, around 3:20 a.m. at a convenience store located in the 1200 block of Artesia Boulevard.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department reported that the woman was observed stealing food items from the store. When an employee approached her, the suspect used a lighter and an aerosol can to spray flames in the employee’s direction, narrowly missing their face.
The employee avoided serious injury, but the distraction allowed the woman to flee the scene on foot, police said.
The suspect is described as a Black woman with a heavy build, wearing a gray beanie and a yellow jacket.
Officers searched the area following the attack but were unable to locate the suspect. A police report was filed, but the estimated value of the stolen items—believed to be food—was not disclosed.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the suspect or the incident to contact the Manhattan Beach Police Department at 310-802-5140.
No further details were included in the department’s weekly crime report, and the investigation remains ongoing.
