Police said several locations have been attacked more than once.
Law enforcement in Los Angeles on Sept. 25 warned of flash mobs of around 20 to 40 people on bicycles targeting 7-Eleven stores and stealing merchandise, damaging property, and fleeing without paying.
The suspects were described as “youthful males, possibly teens varying in ethnicity and physical descriptors.”
“In several incidents, the witnesses were physically pushed by the suspects during the criminal take-over of the stores, with no regard for others safety,” the LAPD stated in the release. “Although there are no reported physical injuries, several witnesses continue to fear for their safety after such aggressive and callous criminal behavior.”
The LAPD’s retail crime task force is working with its Rampart, Wilshire, Hollywood, and West L.A. divisions to find the suspects, said the department. Officers have also increased patrols around 7-Eleven stores to prevent more mob attacks.
Armed Robbery
Another 7-Eleven location in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles was robbed at gunpoint on Sept. 21, a day after about 50 juveniles ransacked one of the 7-Eleven locations on the recent list, authorities said.
Police responded to a report of a robbery on Oxnard Street at 2:15 p.m., LAPD Officer Drake Madison told The Epoch Times.
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The suspect, armed with a handgun, entered the store and stole an unknown amount of cash. Madison said the suspect fled on foot before officers arrived.
No store employees or customers were injured during the incident. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male with a bald head, wearing a gray sweater.
The other 7-Eleven store in Pico-Robertson—12 miles south of the Van Nuys location—was ransacked on both Aug. 9 and Sept. 20 by dozens of youth traveling on bicycles.
A flash mob attacks a 7-Eleven store at 8500 W Olympic Blvd in Los Angeles on August 9, 2024 at 7:50 pm. Los Angeles Police Department
Officers responded to a silent alarm from the store on Olympic Boulevard at 7:25 p.m., Madison said.
Most of the suspects left the scene before officers arrived, but one person was arrested for robbery, police said. Authorities reported that a gunshot was heard during the incident.
Investigations into all of the flash mob incidents are ongoing, said LAPD, who urged the public to contact authorities with any information.
A flash mob attacks a 7-Eleven store at 1234 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles on Aug. 2, 2024, at 6:28 pm. Los Angeles Police Department
Rising Trend
The incidents are the latest in a series of convenience store thefts in the city recently.
Officers reported that the same Pico-Robertson 7-Eleven store was ransacked by a group of about 50 teenagers or young adults on bikes on Aug. 9.
A week later, on Aug. 16, three robberies occurred within minutes of each other at 7-Elevens in the Hollywood neighborhood. Around 20 individuals, believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, allegedly smashed store windows and stole food and other merchandise before fleeing on bicycles.
A flash mob attacks a 7-Eleven store at 3100 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles on July 19, 2024, at 6:30 pm. Los Angeles Police Department
On Aug. 24, another 7-Eleven in San Pedro was ransacked by a large group. Officers received several calls reporting a possible street takeover and a disturbance inside the nearby store.
No arrests have been reported in connection with those robberies.
The incidents led Los Angeles Councilman Tim McOsker to call for increased law enforcement and additional resources to prevent similar crimes.
“This isn’t just about property damage or items stolen—it is also about a victim, an employee, fearing for their safety, and a neighborhood that is both in fear and now without a convenience store on the corner,” he added. “It’s deeply disturbing to me that incidents like these are becoming more common. We need more resources in our 911 operations and increased staffing in the LAPD.”
