LOS ANGELES, CA – An AutoZone in East Los Angeles was burglarized twice in less than 24 hours during separate street takeovers at the same intersection, leaving the business damaged, merchandise missing and investigators searching for those responsible.
The incidents occurred early Saturday and Sunday near Atlantic Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The first takeover was reported around 2:30 a.m. Saturday at the intersection, where authorities said approximately 100 vehicles and a large crowd had gathered.
During the event, people forced their way into the AutoZone in the 1100 block of Olympic Boulevard and ransacked the store, investigators said.
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and began dispersing the crowd.
Once the area had been cleared, deputies entered the business and confirmed that the store had been burglarized and ransacked.
Less than 24 hours later, law enforcement returned to the same intersection for another street takeover.
At approximately 3 a.m. Sunday, deputies responded again to Atlantic Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard, where another crowd had gathered.
Authorities said people once again forced their way into the same AutoZone and ransacked the business.
Video from the aftermath showed a large crowd surrounding the store and people leaving the area carrying merchandise believed to have been taken from inside.
Items seen being carried away included automotive batteries, oil and floor mats.
By Sunday, portions of the business had been boarded up while workers attempted to secure broken windows and doors and clean up damage from the repeated break-ins.
The total value of merchandise stolen during the two incidents has not yet been determined.
Information reviewed by Street People indicates investigators have also not released an estimate for the structural damage caused during the repeated forced entries.
No arrests have been announced in connection with either East Los Angeles incident.
The Sheriff’s Department said detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and cellphone video in an effort to identify individuals who entered the business or otherwise participated in the crimes.
The scale of the first takeover added another challenge for responding deputies.
Authorities estimated roughly 100 vehicles were involved, with numerous spectators also gathering in and around the intersection.
Street takeovers typically involve drivers blocking intersections or sections of roadway while vehicles perform burnouts, donuts or other dangerous maneuvers as crowds gather nearby.
California has expanded enforcement options against that activity in recent years.
The California Highway Patrol notes that state law now expressly treats “sideshows” and “street takeovers” as the same type of event, while other provisions give law enforcement additional authority to impound vehicles used in speed contests or exhibitions of speed.
CHP has also participated in previous operations involving street takeovers in unincorporated Los Angeles County, including incidents where officers dispersed gatherings, pursued drivers and made arrests.
Those broader enforcement efforts do not establish who participated in the East Los Angeles burglaries, but they provide context for why both LASD and CHP responded to a takeover involving such a large number of vehicles.
The two AutoZone break-ins also highlight a second concern for investigators: crimes that occur around large street gatherings can quickly expand beyond dangerous driving into burglary, theft and property damage.
Authorities have not said whether the same individuals were involved in both East Los Angeles incidents.
Investigators also have not determined whether the two break-ins were planned in advance or whether participants took advantage of the large crowds and disruption caused by the takeovers.
The store remained open during at least part of the cleanup process, despite damaged entry points and concerns expressed by workers about safety.
Employees were repeatedly securing windows and doors following the incidents.
The East Los Angeles Station said it will deploy additional patrol resources to the area while detectives continue investigating.
The response comes as the Sheriff’s Department has placed broader emphasis on organized theft investigations throughout Los Angeles County.
LASD reported that its organized retail crime task force completed 1,739 investigations and made 326 arrests during 2025 while recovering more than $20 million in stolen retail merchandise.
Those figures concern department-wide retail theft enforcement and are not directly tied to the AutoZone burglaries, but they illustrate the scale of the agency’s ongoing work involving stolen merchandise and coordinated theft activity.
A separate AutoZone in Watts was also targeted during a street takeover Sunday morning.
In that incident, the store was looted and a Waymo vehicle was set on fire.
Authorities have not said that the Watts incident and the two East Los Angeles burglaries were carried out by the same people or coordinated as part of a single operation.
Back in East Los Angeles, detectives continue examining video evidence to determine who entered the store, what was taken and whether individuals involved in the takeover can be connected to the burglary.
No suspect descriptions have been released.
Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station at 323-264-4151.
Anonymous tips can be submitted to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
The investigation remains ongoing.
