Shocking moment of 100 looters stopping Kia through the doors of a mom-and-pop bakery in Compton, then stealing food and $20,000 in loot after illegal street takeover
- A gang of young men and women looted a neighborhood bakery on Tuesday, stealing $20,000 and causing widespread destruction
- Residents say illegal street robberies, of the kind that preceded the robbery, have become common in the area
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A chaotic street takeover in Compton led to a scandalous breakup that cost a local mom-and-pop bakery at least $20,000 less than two days into the New Year.
Around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, a gang of looters decimated the business, leaving bits of wall and merchandise on the floor and making off with entire cash registers.
The target of the robbery was the long-standing Ruben's Bakery & Mexican Food, located near the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue – reportedly a particularly popular spot for street takeovers.
The robbers, who were seen on ABC7 video surveillance, entered the bakery by repeatedly slamming a white Kia Soul into one of the sides of the building.
Footage shows the driver of the car reversing and ramming into the store several times as dozens of looters enter.
The moment a Kia Soul was reversed through the doors of Ruben's Bakery and Mexican Food in Compton, California is pictured
According to the city's Sheriff's Station, the street takeover involved approximately 100 people, some of whom began the antics by burning debris and trash in the street.
The busy intersection nearby is home to several other small businesses, as well as family homes and even a kindergarten.
An anonymous person who works at the school told the local newspaper: 'It's terrifying to know that we have a nursery school across the street and there are people doing this kind of thing.'
'I was hoping to run into the owner just to ask if he needs anything from us or any kind of support. We are there for them.'
The owners of the one-time bakery have reportedly lost $20,000 they made during the holiday season, and will also have to cover the cost of repairing the damage.
Another unidentified woman from the area said police are constantly called to the area due to the high frequency of street robberies.
βIt's kind of normal for us now, and that's a little sad to say,β she said. 'I'm a bit desensitized to it because it happens so often, but this was a bit of the final straw. I don't really know what to do about it.'
The dozens of criminal looters turned out to be a group of young men and women who fled the scene when authorities arrived
The bakery is near the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue β a popular spot for street takeovers
Video surveillance footage shows the white Kia Soul repeatedly backing into the store as the crowd flows through
Street takeovers β which are illegal β involve a group of people blocking an intersection with cars and using the space for street racing and other vehicle tricks.
The gatherings, which surged in popularity during COVID, often produce deadly results.
When members of the Sheriff's Department finally arrived on the scene, the criminals fled. No arrests have officially been made in connection with the destruction of the bakery.