- A mob of young men and women ransacked a neighborhood bakery on Tuesday, stole $20,000 and caused massive destruction
- Residents say illegal street robberies like the one that preceded the robbery are common in the area
A chaotic street takeover in Compton led to an outrageous break-in that cost a local mom-and-pop bakery at least $20,000 less than two days into the new year.
Around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, a horde of looters decimated the store, leaving remnants of walls and merchandise strewn across the floor, and made off with entire cash registers.
The target of the robbery was the long-standing Ruben's Bakery & Mexican Food, located near the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue – reportedly a particularly popular spot for street takeovers.
The gang of robbers, seen on CCTV by ABC7, entered the bakery by repeatedly smashing a white Kia Soul into one of the sides of the building.
The footage shows the driver of the car reversing several times and ramming into the store as dozens of looters entered.
Pictured is the moment a Kia Soul was thrown backwards through the doors of Ruben's Bakery and Mexican Food in Compton, California
According to the city's sheriff's station, about 100 people were involved in the street takeover, some of whom began burning debris and trash on the street.
The busy neighborhood intersection is home to several other small businesses, as well as single-family homes and even a preschool.
An anonymous person who works at the school told the local outlet: “It's frightening to know that we have a preschool across the street and there are people who do things like this.”
“I was hoping to meet the owner just to ask him if he needed anything from us or any kind of support. “We are here for you.”
The owners of the former bakery reportedly lost $20,000 earned during the holidays and will also have to cover the cost of repairing the damage.
Another unidentified woman in the neighborhood said police were constantly called to the area because of the high frequency of street robberies.
“It’s kind of normal for us now, which is kind of sad,” she said. “I'm kind of desensitized because it happens so often, but that was kind of the final straw. 'I'm not sure what to do about it.'
The dozens of criminal looters appeared to be a group of young men and women who fled the scene when authorities arrived
The bakery is located right at the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue – a popular spot for street takeovers
Video surveillance footage shows the white Kia Soul repeatedly backing into the store as the mob streams in
In street takeovers – which are illegal – a group of people block an intersection with cars and use the space for street racing and other vehicle tricks.
The gatherings that have gained enormous popularity during the Corona crisis often lead to deadly consequences.
When deputies from the Sheriff's Department finally arrived at the scene, the criminals took off. No official arrests have been made in connection with the destruction of the bakery.