Another round of street takeovers caught on camera in South LA, Compton
COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- Another round of dangerous street takeovers were caught on camera in South Los Angeles and Compton.
Video shows the drivers taking over several intersections overnight, surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Some people were seen hanging from the car windows, and another person leaning out of a car with the passenger door open.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to four street takeovers but all the intersections were eventually cleared.
No arrests were made.
The sheriff's department has said it is trying to crack down on street takeovers in the wake of a wild looting incident that followed a takeover a couple weeks ago.
"Getting likes and retweets, sharing that content from these illegal street takeovers are creating revenue for those participants," said LASD Dep. Miguel Meza. "The spectators who are there recording and filming these acts are also making revenue and money out of these street takeovers which is why it keeps happening."
Meza told ABC7 even some automotive repair and tire shops are getting paid thousands of dollars under the table to stay open all hours of the night, servicing vehicles involved in the illegal events.
"The money they are making on social media, sharing these illegal street takeovers, they use that to pay these shops so the shops are making money, staying open until late hours of the night to help and promote these illegal street takeovers. So, we have to crack down on that as well," he said.
Over the weekend, multiple law enforcement agencies stopped an illegal street takeover in the San Fernando Valley, impounding several vehicles and giving drivers citations. Investigators said the drivers involved got away.
"Street takeover task force from CHP and the LAPD and our specialized undercover detectives are all working together to make this operation successful and put an end, not just temporarily, but a permanent stop to these illegal street takeovers," said Meza.
Compton residents took their concerns to law enforcement and city officials at a special meeting last week.
"You watch them on television and how they're hanging out the windows, I mean, anything can happen ... crash and everybody flies out the car," said a Compton resident named Dianne. "So, yes it's really dangerous, law enforcement needs to do more."
Others, however, have little hope.
"It's not going to stop," said resident Jaaye Person-Lynn. "I'm 40 years old and they've been cruising Crenshaw since before I was born."
