The surveillance footage showed that the looters were shouting at each other, throwing items over the counter and destroying the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) safety screen. They were seen running across the store and grabbing drinks, cigarettes, lottery tickets, bags of chips and other items. Cash registers were also destroyed, but it is unclear if any money was taken.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) also said a store staff was left fearing for his life after the incident because one of the suspects was throwing food at him. LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno said there was "no resistance" and "no fight put up" by the staff members working that day.
The said robbers face charges of vandalism, grand theft and looting when they are apprehended by authorities, the Daily Mail reported.
Before the store takeover, the looters blocked traffic with their vehicles and performed "donuts," a maneuver done while driving a vehicle where the rear or front of the vehicle is rotated around the opposite set of wheels in a continuous motion, creating a circular skid-mark pattern of rubber on a carriageway.
Moreno said they really want to prevent robberies like this from becoming a new trend.
The store crew couldn't do anything to stop the looters due to fear of his life, probably because of earlier reported heists that left people injured or lifeless.
Some LA robberies leave people dead, injured
In July, the police arrested two people in connection with a string of robberies that left two people dead and three others wounded at convenience stores in southern California.
Six of the seven robberies happened at 7-Eleven stores during the early hours of July 11, prompting the company to urge its stores to close as a safety precaution, CNN said.
An employee of the convenience store in Brea, California, was killed after he was shot, the police department said.
"We are grateful that the Orange County District Attorney has announced local law enforcement has apprehended suspects related to the recent violent incidents," the 7-Eleven management said in a statement.
The suspects were arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Violent Crime Task Force, the city's police chief David Valentin said.
Meanwhile, despite active law enforcement in the area, thieves have also targeted high-end retailers as they attacked one in July on the Westside of Los Angeles. The suspects used a van to smash through a window at a Chanel store.
The "smash-and-grab" had the police warning residents and shoppers in the area to take precautions.
"The latest incident took place on North Robertson, when a group of about eight suspects pulled up in a white cargo van and two other vehicles, rammed the front glass of the retailer and grabbed items out of the display window before taking off," ABC7 news website stated.
LAPD also issued a warning to the public and L.A. visitors about "follow-home robberies," where suspects see individuals wearing expensive jewelry, including watches and necklaces, and follow them home from nightclubs and high-end restaurants in the southern California city.
"We believe there's a component here of helping to prevent these, by being mindful of your surroundings, recognizing that currently there's a troubling trend of suspects targeting individuals with expensive jewelry, expensive items of clothing and purses, and the risk to those individuals' safety is real," LAPD Chief Michel Moore stated.
Last month, police officers exchanged fire with robbers who tried to steal an expensive watch near Melrose and Fairfax, leaving an officer shot in the leg.
Residents and tourists are growing distressed.
"Hearing this on the news, for someone to do that is so close to home," L.A. resident Denise Devine shared. "It's scary. Very, very scary." (Related: LAWLESS CHAOS: LAPD tells residents to "comply" with robbers as society collapses in blue cities… escape while you still can.)
Visit Chaos.news for more news related to chaos and crimes in Los Angeles, California.
Watch the below video where former President Trump calls for National Guard to stop "smash-and-grab" robberies in Democratic cities.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
L.A. is so crime-ridden and dangerous, head of police union is warning tourists to stay away.
Los Angeles police tell robbery victims to "cooperate and comply" with thieves.
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