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A store in Beverly Hills has banned masks due to an increase in robberies throughout the area. They fear that people can get away with stealing easier with half of their faces covered. According to KTLA, Kitson, a lifestyle boutique located off of Robertson Boulevard, has banned masks during business hours because if a robbery were to occur, it would be harder to identify the suspect if they were wearing a mask. Employees mentioned that people will come into the store and harass others while wearing a mask, and it is hard to describe what they look like when reporting the incident.
“You have to have the awareness and understand the motivation, or at least the signs of somebody who is planning to steal,” employee Santos Hemenway shared with KTLA. “I used to be a little more lax, but now, I’ve got to be on all guards. It’s definitely changed in the last in the last year or so.”
Though there are no mandatory mask mandates in place for Los Angeles County, authorities still encourage citizens to wear them indoors. Those shopping at Kitson are required to schedule an appointment if they want to enter and shop with a mask on.