- A massive "flash mob" of dozens of looters ransacked a 7-Eleven in California this week, cops said.
- LA police are hoping to put a stop to the crime tactic before it becomes an even bigger trend.
- Video of the August 15 chaos shows dozens inside the store running amok through the aisles.
A massive "flash mob" of dozens of looters ransacked and vandalized a 7-Eleven in California this week in a caught-on-video "street takeover" that caused a worker inside the convenience store to fear for his life, authorities said.
And now local police want to stop the crime tactic before it becomes an even bigger trend.
The mayhem unfolded on Monday at around 12:40 a.m. at the store in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, which later released surveillance footage showing the raid.
Police said that shortly before throngs of people rushed into the 7-Eleven, a "street takeover" was "initiated" outside the shop at the intersection of Figueroa Street and El Segundo Boulevard.
Cars "flooded" the street "to create a 'pit' in the middle of the intersection" where motorists "recklessly drove" around "doing donuts," the police department said.
Moments later, "the spectators then formed a 'flash mob' of looters" and stormed into the 7-Eleven, authorities said.
"It turns into a real, just angry somewhat mob mentality," LAPD Det. Ryan Moreno told reporters during a briefing on Thursday.
Surveillance video of the chaotic incident shows dozens inside running amok through the aisles and swiping hordes of goods, including snacks, drinks, cigarettes, and lotto tickets.
"There was one employee that was working at the time, and they feared for their life, and basically just kind of did what they could and retreated back away from everybody," Moreno told reporters.
At one point during the incident, there were more than 100 people inside the store, Moreno said.
Police say that the looters fled the store and "quickly dispersed" before authorities arrived.
The LAPD released the surveillance footage in the hopes that the public could help identify those involved.
"They're going to be held accountable for this action," Moreno said, adding that the suspects are facing charges of vandalism, looting, and grand theft. "We really want to prevent this from becoming a new trend where they think they can show up and take over a street or a freeway or any part of the city that they're just going to be able to do what they want."
"We're here to basically say that's not going to happen," the detective said.
Moreno pointed to other "street takeover" and so-called "flash mob" incidents that have recently occurred in the Los Angeles area.
The Los Angeles Times reported in November that organized groups descended on stores to steal expensive merchandise from multiple stores across Los Angeles before Thanksgiving. The Wall Street Journal reported in December that stores across the country, including Nordstrom, Best Buy, and Louis Vuitton, had been hit by similar crimes.
"It's a big problem," said Moreno.
"The term 'flash mob' was first used to describe a large public gathering at which people perform an unusual or seemingly random act and then disperse, typically organized by means of the internet or social media," the LAPD said in releasing the details of Monday's incident.
"In the latest cases, however, 'flash mobs' have turned from fun spontaneous events to opportunistic criminal occurrences," the department said.
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