Thieves Assault Guard at Mall

WOODLAND HILLS — A security guard was bound and beaten by four masked men who burglarized a computer store Friday and escaped with 14 laptop computers valued at about $28,000, police said.

The guard was treated at a local hospital for cuts to his head and will remain overnight for observation.

“He was feeling dizzy and couldn’t see the number to dial 911 and was forced to dial the operator,” said Detective Robert Johansen of the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley station.

The security guard told authorities that he was checking on the Comp USA store in a shopping mall at 6400 Owensmouth Ave. at about 5:15 a.m. when four men wearing ski masks drove up in a van and pulled him inside, where they tied him up and beat him with the butt of a gun.

With the guard inside the van, the thieves crashed the vehicle, which was stolen, against a side door of the store, ripping the door open, police said. The men grabbed the laptop computers and fled in a second van.

Police had no suspects as of Friday evening.