SAN PEDRO, CA — Los Angeles City Councilman Tim McOsker is calling on the city to provide more police and other security forces after another 7-Eleven was robbed by a large gang of thieves who then got away. The gang robbery in the South Bay over the weekend follows a string of similar crimes at convenience stores in Hollywood.
The latest in a series of similar crimes occurred around 1:40 a.m. Saturday morning, when police received several calls about a possible street occupation and disturbance at a 7-Eleven in the area of Gaffey and First streets, a station commander at the LAPD’s Harbor station told City News Service.
When officers arrived at the scene, they reported that the supermarket had been looted and several items stolen. According to the station commander, the suspects had already fled before officers arrived.
The police had no information about the suspect.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart told CNS that paramedics were dispatched to the 700 block of West First Street at 1:38 a.m. for a shooting, but the call was canceled by the LAPD.
ABC7 reported that about 30 to 50 people ransacked the store, knocking over shelves and stealing about $40,000 worth of merchandise, including cigarettes and thousands of dollars worth of lottery tickets.
“Last night’s incident at the corner of 1st and Gaffey, where a large group looted a 7-Eleven, is the continuation of a pattern we’re seeing throughout Los Angeles,” said McOsker, whose 15th district includes San Pedro. “This isn’t just about property damage or stolen items – it’s about a victim, an employee who fears for their safety, and a neighborhood that is both living in fear and now without a corner store,” he added.
“It deeply concerns me that incidents like this are becoming more common. We need more resources on our 911 calls and more staff at LAPD. We could have prevented this at the street takeover before it escalated. That’s why we need to accelerate the hiring of new staff at LAPD. Our officers need to be able to respond quickly to prevent incidents like this,” McOsker continued. “If you have any information about last night’s events, you can submit a tip anonymously at 800-222-TIPS or at www.lacrimestoppers.org.”
It was unclear if the thieves who robbed the San Pedro store were involved in the previous 7-Eleven robberies that occurred in the Hollywood area. On August 16, three robberies of 7-Eleven stores in the Hollywood area occurred within minutes of each other, involving many juveniles who stole merchandise, vandalized the stores and fled on bicycles.
The previous Friday, August 9, about 50 young people vandalized a 7-Eleven in the 8500 block of Olympic Boulevard, near La Cienega Boulevard, just outside Beverly Hills, stealing merchandise, including cigarettes, before riding away on bicycles.
No arrests were reported in any of the robberies.
Los Angeles police are asking anyone with information about either robbery to call 877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be made to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or at www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Copyright 2024, City News Service, Inc.
