A business owner in L.A.’s Jefferson Park neighborhood says around 100 people stormed multiple stores, including hers, after a street takeover.
Details surrounding the takeover and subsequent burglaries are limited; however, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Cervantes was able to confirm that a call reporting the alleged illicit activity came in at 3:24 a.m. Monday.
“There was a report of a street takeover that resulted in a burglary to a business,” Officer Cervantes said, adding that no arrests were reported — although one man was seen being detained by police — and it is not known if anything was taken.
A woman who owns a business within the plaza, located at Western Avenue and Adams Boulevard, claims that multiple establishments — including a 99 cent store, a nail salon and a beauty supply store — were broken into by a mob of around 100 people.
“There were lots and lots of people, and apparently they broke the gate into the plaza,” the woman, identified only as Elena K., told KTLA. “Around 100 people came and stormed first into the market and then to all [the rest of] the stores.”
“They broke all of the doors and ransacked everything inside,” Elena said of the damage to her business, a pizzeria. “The computers, the safe…lots of damage.”
What’s arguably even more unfortunate, she opined, is the fact that she and her neighbors are “just trying to survive” as small businesses.
“It’s very upsetting because we are just small businesses trying to survive here,” she said. “Some people are so irresponsible, and it’s so cruel…we really work very hard and it’s going to be difficult to recover.”
Nancy Fontan and KTLA photojournalist Darren Phan contributed to this report.
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