Chicago police are investigating a brazen smash-and-grab at the Louis Vuitton boutique inside Nordstrom on the Magnificent Mile, where a group of about 10 thieves made off with designer handbags valued at roughly $100,000 to $130,000. The crew forced its way into the store at 55 E. Grand Ave. shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, then fled in multiple waiting vehicles while bystanders recorded the escape. Detectives believe the same group may be behind recent crash-and-grab burglaries at two Chicago Foot Locker outlets and a Tuesday morning break-in at a Snipes athletic-wear shop near East 95th Street and Stony Island Avenue. In each case, thieves rammed or smashed their way into the premises, grabbed merchandise and cash registers, and left in a second vehicle, leaving abandoned getaway cars at the scene. No arrests had been announced by Tuesday afternoon, and investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and eyewitness videos. The incidents come amid a broader surge in organized retail theft, prompting retailers and city officials to reassess security measures in high-traffic shopping corridors.