LASD cracks down on street takeovers
Street takeovers across Los Angeles County left a Superior Grocers store ransacked and caused destruction in several communities. LASD has since responded by coordinating an enforcement operation that resulted in 19 citations, six arrests and four vehicles impounded for 30 days.
LOS ANGELES – Street takeovers turned destructive across Los Angeles County this weekend, leaving behind smashed storefronts and prompting the Sheriff’s Department to detail new tools it’s using to catch those involved.
What we know:
Video from the scenes shows the now-familiar chaos of a street takeover: tires screeching, engines roaring, crowds spilling into intersections. But this weekend, several of those gatherings turned into something more destructive. A Superior Grocers in South LA was left ransacked, with merchandise scattered and shelves emptied. Takeovers were also reported in Gardena and Westmont.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says the destruction is directly tied to the takeovers. Commander Terrence Bell says investigators are working to identify those responsible. “We are doing our investigative efforts to bring those people to justice,” Bell said.
By the numbers:
The weekend’s chaos came just after a coordinated enforcement push. On Saturday, Aug. 29, LASD detectives ran a targeted sweep across Compton, Carson, Lakewood, East Los Angeles and Lynwood. The operation resulted in 19 citations, six arrests and four vehicles impounded for 30 days.
Spectators aren’t immune, either, Bell says. Some cities, including Pico Rivera and Paramount, have implemented fines for simply watching a takeover — fines that Bell says can reach up to $2,500.
What they’re saying:
Bell says the department is leaning on technology to get ahead of the takeovers, including automatic license plate readers and drones deployed as first responders.
“Being able to get to a location, put eyes there first, will give law enforcement that advantage on how we are to approach and how to respond to certain things,” Bell said.
The department is also weighing a more drastic deterrent: destroying vehicles seized from takeover organizers and participants.
“We’re looking to even smash some of these cars and put it on live TV,” Bell said. “These are some of the proposals … we’re going to take one of these vehicles from a street takeover, and if it meets the criteria, that car may never be on the street again.”
Bell says organizers face the steepest consequences. Anyone who advertises or promotes a takeover online, he says, can be criminally prosecuted.
What’s next:
Bell says the department’s message to anyone considering joining a takeover is simple: It isn’t worth the risk.
“It’s only a matter of time before you get caught,” Bell said. “It’s only a matter of time.”