Gangs of brazen teen robbers ransack three 7-Eleven stores in Hollywood on same day Gavin Newsom pledged crackdown on 'smash and grabs'

Daily Mail UK ^ | August 17, 2024 | Nic White

[Morgana]

Brazen thieves on bikes raided three 7-Eleven stores in California in the space of half an hour, smashing their way in and taking all they could carry.

About 20 robbers swarmed inside the shops in Hollywood, grabbing food, drinks, cigarettes and anything else on shelves.

Staff could only stand by helplessly as their convenience stores were ransacked in the blink of an eye before the invaders moved on to the next.

The raids lasted a matter of minutes each, starting at 8:02pm on Friday when the 7040 West Sunset Boulevard store was hit, police said. Another near Hollywood and Highland was raided just 14 minutes later, and a shop worker was assaulted in the chaos.

The third to be knocked over was 5700 Santa Monica Boulevard at 8:22 pm.

Police didn't confirm that all three were related, but they were all close together with the same strategy of smashing windows and escaping on bikes.

Another 7-Eleven was raided by a similar-sized mob, also on bikes, on Olympic Boulevard in Pico-Robertson, Los Angeles, the previous Friday night.

Thieves also jumped over the counter to raid the good behind it, and pointlessly vandalize the shop by knocking over cash registers and screens.

Staff even had random items thrown at them as they tried to avoid the chaos and couldn't intervene while so hopelessly outnumbered.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday signed into law 10 bipartisan bills allowing longer sentences for shoplifters, robbers, burglars, and car thieves.

[GOPJ]

Anyway, what good is that new law if the local DAs won’t apply it?

Good point.