- AutoZone stores across Los Angeles County have been targeted by looters for the third day in a row following a series of street takeovers, with at least four locations hit since Saturday.
- The latest break-in occurred around 4 a.m. Monday at an AutoZone on Firestone Boulevard in Downey, where police said a group smashed windows and began taking merchandise. Officers arrived quickly and arrested four people as they were leaving the store.
- The same group also broke into a Spirit Halloween store nearby. Employees arrived early Monday to clean up the AutoZone, which had reopened for business later in the morning despite windows still missing from the front entrance.
- In East Los Angeles, an AutoZone near Olympic Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue was ransacked twice in about 24 hours. The first break-in happened early Saturday as a street takeover was underway at the intersection, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said spectators from the takeover were believed to have ransacked the store.
- After employees restocked the shelves, early Sunday another street takeover was reported nearby and the store was hit again. The damage was more severe the second time: shelves were emptied, windows smashed, cash registers left on the floor, and the store manager said computers were broken and wiring in the electrical system was destroyed.
- Another AutoZone was targeted in Watts over the weekend near Imperial Highway and Central Avenue, where police received reports of a street takeover involving approximately 50 vehicles doing donuts and burnouts. Authorities said approximately 100 juveniles were reported looting the nearby AutoZone.
- A fourth AutoZone location was also targeted in Long Beach over the weekend, with video showing windows at the business boarded up afterward. Customers outside the Downey store Monday said they were not surprised by the apparent connection between the auto parts stores and street takeovers.
- Downey police is investigating all of the incidents. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Downey Police Department at (562) 904-2308 or the Detective Bureau at (562) 904-2334. No arrests have been made in either case.
AutoZone stores across Los Angeles County have faced a wave of looting for three consecutive days, linked to street takeovers. The latest incident occurred around 4 a.m. Monday in Downey, where police arrested four individuals after they allegedly smashed windows and stole merchandise from an AutoZone.123
"The same group also broke into a Spirit Halloween store nearby," police reported. This follows multiple break-ins at AutoZone locations, including two incidents in East Los Angeles over the weekend, where a store was ransacked twice within 24 hours during street takeovers.45678
"The damage was more severe the second time," said a store manager, noting that computers were broken and cash registers were left on the floor. In total, at least four AutoZone locations have been targeted since Saturday, with reports of approximately 100 juveniles involved in looting during a street takeover in Watts.1314
Customers expressed concern about the impact of these thefts on prices, with one stating, "I think it goes up, the prices go up and bad for us, for the consumers." Downey police are investigating the incidents, urging anyone with information to contact them.
"They using the parts for the cars," said customer Anthony Mendez, highlighting the connection between the auto parts stores and the street takeovers. The situation remains fluid as authorities continue to respond to these ongoing crimes.
“The East Los Angeles store was ransacked twice in about 24 hours, with the second break-in causing more severe damage, including broken computers and destroyed electrical wiring. In Watts, approximately 100 juveniles were reported looting a store during a takeover involving about 50 vehicles.”
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