Two suspects in custody in attempted robbery at Fashion Island Thursday afternoon

Newport Beach police arrested at least two suspects early Thursday afternoon and were searching for a possible third accomplice following an attempted robbery at the Louis Vuitton at Neiman Marcus in the Fashion Island shopping center, according to an officer at the scene.

Sgt. Steven Oberon of the Newport Beach Police Department was among officers at the center who was urging bystanders to move along, saying the situation could be dangerous. He told a reporter the investigation was ongoing.

Police vehicles swarmed Fashion Island, blocking off entrances, sometime shortly after 1 p.m.

By 2 p.m., the store was asking customers to leave and closed its doors.

Newport Beach resident Ron Hiller said he overheard an employee speaking with police about the incident.

“We saw the helicopter overhead and walked over to see what was going on,” Hiller said. “And that’s when we heard the woman say they tried to rob Louis Vuitton.”

Parking lots were blocked by roughly 20 police vehicles.

According to a news release from the Newport Beach Police Department, Los Angeles residents Calvin Maxwell Webb, 25, and Felton Levoy Binns, 26, were booked on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grand theft.

Thursday’s incident was the latest theft attempt at the Neiman Marcus location in the past year. A burglary was reported at the store in February, when more than $100,000 was stolen in luxury merchandise, and a robbery in July 2022. About $58,000 in stolen goods were recovered from that incident, according to police reports at the time.

A Fashion Island spokeperson Thursday afternoon said shopping center officials declined to comment.