Hollywood's 7-Eleven stores faced a rash of coordinated smash-and-grab bike thefts Friday evening, resulting in broken windows, stolen goods, and unanswered questions about the perpetrators. According to KTLA, the first store hit at 8:02 p.m. on West Sunset Boulevard saw a large group shatter a window and make off with an assortment of food and beverages. Minutes after, another store on Santa Monica Boulevard was similarly burglarized, with damages to a front window but specifics of the theft yet to be disclosed.
These incidents unfolded just a day after California Governor Gavin Newsom, accompanied by a bipartisan group of state legislators, announced newly signed legislation aimed at tackling such retail, auto, and property crimes. NBC Los Angeles reports, "The string of robberies took place on the same day Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan package of 10 bills that aims to crack down on smash-and-grab robberies and property crimes."
The Los Angeles Police Department has not confirmed if all three robberies are connected, though proximity and modus operandi suggest a linkage between them. The third store, located near Hollywood and Highland, was targeted at 8:16 p.m., where an employee was assaulted during the heist. ABC7 noted that the same group of thieves proceeded to the Santa Monica Boulevard location, which was hit at 8:22 p.m., further compounding the audacious string of thefts as they whisked away with beers, snacks, and other goods.
CBS Los Angeles detailed the aggressive timeline of events, with the first 7-Eleven on Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue being compromised, and then, within just 20 minutes, an attack on another 7-Eleven on Santa Monica Boulevard unfolded. Despite the evident chaos of the night, police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with these crimes, and descriptions of the suspects remain general at best, citing them as males in their early 20s.
The LAPD continues to investigate the thefts and urges anyone with information to come forward.
