Store Broken Into
LOS ANGELES, CA — Police are investigating after thieves broke into a Superior Grocers store during a street takeover in South Los Angeles early Sunday morning. The Los Angeles Police Department said at least 20 people forced their way into the grocery store near Manchester Avenue and San Pedro Street.
Officers responded about 4:30 a.m. and took one person into custody, according to LAPD. Employees who were inside when the break-in started ran to the second floor and barricaded themselves. No injuries were reported.
What Police Said
LAPD said it does not yet know how much was stolen from the store. It was also not immediately clear when the Superior Grocers location would reopen to customers. The investigation is continuing as officers try to sort out who took part in the burglary and what happened inside.
The ransacking came during a street takeover, a kind of unlawful gathering that can pull crowds into intersections and create a window for other crimes. In this case, police tied the store burglary directly to that overnight activity.
Pattern Of Burglaries
The South Los Angeles break-in was not the only recent business hit linked to street takeover activity in the region. Police said several businesses have been targeted in similar crimes, including multiple AutoZone break-ins and lootings in East Los Angeles, Watts and Downey over a few days, with each incident happening around 3 a.m.
In Boyle Heights, burglars also broke into a Lorena Pharmacy during the past week. Video showed thieves cutting metal security bars, smashing a window and running inside before leaving with items in their arms. Those cases have added to concern among store owners watching the overnight pattern.
Task Force Response
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says it has a task force focused on illegal street takeovers and the crimes that can follow them. The department has not publicly detailed any arrests in this case beyond the one person detained by LAPD at the Superior Grocers store.
Anyone with information would typically be directed to the Los Angeles Police Department or the sheriff’s department task force handling takeover-related crime. For shoppers and nearby businesses, the main immediate unknown is whether the store will reopen soon and whether investigators identify more people involved.
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