Dozens of teens and young adults targeted multiple Los Angeles 7-Eleven stores in a series of brazen robberies on Friday, just hours after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a package of bills to combat smash-and-grab theft around the crime-ridden state.
Approximately 20 to 30 youths stormed into three 7-Eleven locations within a two-mile radius of each other, grabbed whatever merchandise they could get their hands on, and fled on bicycles, NBC Los Angeles reported.
The string of smash-and-grabs began just after 8:00 p.m. Friday at the location at 7040 West Sunset Boulevard before the teens moved to a store near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, where a worker was assaulted, according to Fox News.
The group hit the third store, on Santa Monica Boulevard, around 8:22 p.m., breaking the front window and taking over $2,000 worth of merchandise.
A similar crime took place last Friday, when a group on bikes broke into the 7-Eleven on Olympic Boulevard to steal food and cigarettes, ABC7 reported.
Security footage obtained by Fox 11 Los Angeles shows dozens of young men completely ransacking the store, damaging equipment, and even throwing items at employees:
The recent crime spree came after Newsom touted the bipartisan package of 10 bills as “the real deal” to tackle California’s lawlessness.
“This goes to the heart of the issue, and it does it in a thoughtful and judicious way,” Newsom said, according to Fox News. “This is the real deal.”
The legislation creates “stricter penalties for repeat offenders and people running professional reselling schemes,” the outlet stated.
“Let’s be clear, this is the most significant legislation to address property crime in modern California history,” Newsom said in a statement. “I thank the bipartisan group of lawmakers, our retail partners, and advocates for putting public safety over politics.”
“While some try to take us back to ineffective and costly policies of the past, these new laws present a better way forward — making our communities safer and providing meaningful tools to help law enforcement arrest criminals and hold them accountable,” the far-left governor added.