Police seek help in `flash mob' burglaries, takeovers

COMPTON ❯❯ Following a weekend of street takeovers and “flash mob” burglaries in Compton, sheriff's deputies Monday reached out to the public for help identifying perpetrators.

“Compton Station deputies responded to numerous illegal street takeovers throughout the city of Compton,” according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department statement. “Hundreds of participants and spectators moved from intersectionto-intersection burglarizing, vandalizing and shoplifting nearby businesses.”

Surveillance footage captured an Arco gas station near Alondra Boulevard and Central Avenue being looted of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise by a mob of people, all while the store clerk hid inside a bathroom, ABC7 reported.

“It's unbelievable. Unreal. I've never seen anything like that happen here,” Greg Johnson, a Compton resident who frequents the Arco gas station, told the station.

Sheriff's officials reported that about six businesses in different locations were burglarized in what they described as “flash mob” crimes.

One person was briefly detained over the weekend, but sheriff's officials said no arrests have been made.

Sheriff's officials asked anyone with information to call the Compton station at 310-605-6500. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at 800-222TIPS (8477).

Compton City Councilman Jonathan Bowers told Channel 7 he believes people from outside of Compton were responsible for the crime wave, but he said the city needs to take action to prevent repeat offenses.

“I am totally disgusted,” Bowers told ABC7. “I'm just upside down behind this. These kids coming in our city and just destroying it like this. In my opinion, the city has not done enough to quell this issue. There are other alternatives and ways to deal with this, and I feel like we put it on the back burner and we're dragging our feet as this thing is getting worse.”