Abandoned Westminster Mall draws vandalism and over 400 police calls since closing in 2025
The abandoned Westminster Mall has turned into a hotspot for vandalism since shuttering in late 2025, according to police who are attempting to raise awareness about the issue.
"The Westminster Police Department has become aware of multiple videos on social media showing tagging, vandalism, and trespassing amongst other criminal activity occurring inside the Westminster mall," said a Facebook post from the department.
They said that they have partnered wth onsite security and the property owners to help try and mitigate the issue, which has turned into more than 400 calls for service at the location since it closed in October last year.
Westminster police spoke with CBS LA on Monday, noting that the constant calls have been drawing a lot of the department's resources in recent months.
"It's tapping us dry through most of our shifts," said Officer Andy Stowers.
Over the weekend alone, police said that they were called for service at the abandoned property 57 times, resulting in 30 arrests and 20 reports made.
"The Westminster mall is closed and no persons are allowed inside," police said. "The Westminster Police Department will be conducting full enforcement for any criminal activity committed at the mall."
Stowers had a strong message for people planning to continue vandalizing the mall.
"Please just don't go inside. We are gonna arrest anybody and everybody that we're able to for various crimes, different reasons, whatever it is we can do to keep people out of the property," he said.
Video posted on social media shows the chaos inside the massive vacant building. The walls have been covered in graffiti and the floors are covered in the shattered glass from the windows of now-empty storefronts. In the background of the video, the sound of banging and breaking glass can be heard.
"It was heartbreaking and scary. I'm not gonna lie, I was super scared," said Donny Mohler, a former mall employee who recorded now-viral video over the weekend.
He said that he didn't see any security personnel on the premises the entire time he was there.
"It was wide open," Mohler said.
As of Monday evening, some entrances to the mall had been blocked by chainlink fences. All of the first floor doors and windows were boarded up as well.
City officials voted in 2022 to replace the mall with a housing, apartments, restaurants, hotels and more, but there was no timetable for when that project would be completed.
