Masked group ransacks Bellflower liquor store during street takeover

BELLFLOWER, Calif. (KABC) -- A Bellflower liquor store owner says he is devastated after a large group of masked individuals broke into his business, causing extensive damage and stealing merchandise in an incident captured on security cameras.

One of the owners of A-Z Market said suspects broke two exterior security cameras and attempted to cut through the deadbolt on the store's door with a power tool. When that failed, the suspects smashed a window and cut through two additional locks to gain entry.

The incident happened Saturday around 3:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Security video shared by the owner shows sparks flying as someone cuts through the locks while several masked individuals wait outside the store. According to authorities, 30 to 40 unidentified suspects entered the business and ransacked the property.

The video shows people removing items from store shelves, standing on counters and, at one point, jumping on the counters to break them and take items inside.

The owner said the store's counters were destroyed, the lottery machine was damaged and refrigerator doors were broken.

The owner also said the store's alarm system sends alerts when people are detected in front of the business after 12:30 a.m. After receiving a notification, the owner called law enforcement before the looting began. However, by the time deputies arrived, the suspects had already left.

The burglary occurred while a street takeover was taking place nearby at the intersection of Somerset and Bellflower boulevards. According to sheriff's officials, more than 100 vehicles had stopped in the intersection and street.

"It was heartbreaking. It was so shocking ... It doesn't even feel real," A-Z Market co-owner Nathan Abdullatif told Eyewitness News. "You always see this in the media. You always see this in other places but when it happens to you - and everything you've built over the years - it's just very hard."

Authorities said the looting lasted about two minutes before the suspects left the store and blended into the crowd gathered for the street takeover.

Deputies issued several citations related to the street takeover, but authorities said they had not linked anyone to the burglary.

Meanwhile, the owners have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover damage costs, which they said have already reached $30,000.