AutoZone Looted Twice In 24 Hours During Street Takeovers
An East Los Angeles AutoZone was looted two nights in a row, with employees saying tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise was stolen before the store was hit again and left extensively damaged.
The first incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. on August 8, 2026, during a street takeover near Atlantic Avenue and Olympic Boulevard.
An employee called to secure the business said looters stole more than $50,000 worth of merchandise, including expensive tools and car batteries. Three cash registers containing an unknown amount of money were also reportedly taken.
The front of the business was damaged, forcing the store to close while repairs were made.
Approximately 24 hours later, around 3:30 a.m. on August 9, another street takeover brought a large crowd back to the same intersection — and the AutoZone was targeted again.
Deputies at the scene said the second incident was worse than the first. Shelves that still contained merchandise after the previous night’s looting were emptied, additional windows were smashed and cash registers were left on the floor.
The manager said the suspects also destroyed computers and damaged wiring and electrical equipment in the back of the store. The extensive damage is expected to keep the business closed for another two to three days while repairs are completed.
The same employee who had been called in following the first incident was called back again after the second looting.
About 30 minutes later, another street takeover occurred near Imperial Highway and Central Avenue in Watts. A crowd broke windows at a nearby AutoZone, gained entry and looted that business as well.
The incidents occurred during a chaotic weekend of street takeover activity across the Los Angeles area, which also included a Waymo vehicle being set on fire near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Crenshaw Boulevard.
No arrests related to the East LA AutoZone lootings had been reported at the scenes.
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