Los Angeles woke up to quite the mess early Saturday morning after two separate street takeovers left a car burning in an intersection and an AutoZone ransacked. The back-to-back incidents happened about two and a half hours apart, one in East Los Angeles and the other in the Gramercy Park neighborhood, according to officials and KTLA reporting. Authorities have not said whether the two events were connected.
Street takeovers are illegal gatherings where drivers block intersections to perform donuts, burnouts, and other stunts while crowds gather to watch and record videos. In some cases, the gatherings can escalate beyond the driving itself. Early Saturday, one incident was followed by the looting of an AutoZone, while participants at a separate takeover were reportedly setting off fireworks, according to the New York Post.
The first incident unfolded around 2:20 a.m. near Olympic and Atlantic boulevards, where Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a break-in at an AutoZone located at 1131 S. Atlantic Blvd. Video from the scene showed a shattered glass door and merchandise scattered throughout the store. According to the New York Post, a video stringer at the scene estimated that more than $50,000 worth of tools, car batteries, other merchandise, and three cash registers were stolen.
Then, just before 5 a.m., authorities responded to another street takeover several miles away at West Century Boulevard and South Western Avenue. Los Angeles police dispersed a large crowd that had reportedly gathered with vehicles blocking the intersection and people setting off fireworks.
Shortly after officers cleared the area, a vehicle was found burning in the middle of the roadway. Los Angeles fire officials said an engine responded around 4:52 a.m. and extinguished the blaze. Authorities have not said what caused the vehicle to catch fire, and it remains unclear whether anyone was arrested in connection with the takeover.
A Familiar Problem That Keeps Coming Back
Street takeovers have been an ongoing problem for Los Angeles-area law enforcement. Auto parts stores have also been targeted during some takeover-related incidents in Southern California in recent years, adding another layer of concern when these gatherings spill beyond reckless driving and into property damage or theft.
Authorities throughout the region have devoted resources to cracking down on street takeovers, but incidents continue to occur. Saturday’s events left one business heavily damaged and looted while firefighters dealt with a burned vehicle several miles away.
What Happens Next
For now, both incidents remain under investigation. Authorities have not released suspect descriptions or said how many people may have been involved in either event, and they have not publicly connected the two takeovers.
The AutoZone was expected to remain closed while the store was cleaned up and the damage assessed. The incidents also highlight the distinction many automotive enthusiasts make between organized car meets and street takeovers that result in reckless driving, property damage, or other illegal activity.