LAPD, in crackdown on street takeovers, arrests 40 people and impounds dozens of cars
The Los Angeles Police Department said it arrested 40 people and impounded dozens of cars last weekend as part of a crackdown on illegal street takeovers.
The Friday and Saturday operation led to the arrest of one person wanted for attempted murder and another wanted for hit-and-run, police said.
The LAPD said many takeovers were stopped before they could even get started and that dozens of cars were impounded.
KTTV-TV Channel 11 first reported the story.
There is a growing backlash in some neighborhoods, with residents demanding authorities do more to crack down on the illegal gatherings that can turn deadly in a flash.
Takeovers, also known as sideshows, have surged since the COVID-19 pandemic began and Southern California roads emptied out. In the last eight months, six people have died at or near the events.
In Los Angeles, there were 500 reported street takeovers in the first six months of 2021, according to LAPD data. That number surged to 705 in the same span this year, police reported.
Enforcement efforts alone will not solve the problem, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said.
“We’re not going to arrest our way out of this,” he said at a recent Police Commission meeting. “Despite the hundreds of impounds and citations and arrests, we still see the proliferation of this.”
Angelino Heights residents will protest the filming of ‘Fast X’ in their neighborhood on Friday, arguing that it encourages illegal street takeovers.
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