Two men are on the run after allegedly ramming through a gate and breaking into a storage facility near downtown Los Angeles, looting multiple units in the early hours of April 16. Police say the pair were bold enough to come back two days later and try the same move again, but this time they gave up and drove off when they could not force the gate. The case has picked up fresh attention after authorities pushed out surveillance footage and asked the public to step in with tips.
Security cameras captured a newer-model black or gray Jeep with a red stripe on the hood and a missing rear spare tire backing toward the facility gate while two men moved between unit doors. One suspect is described as about 5-foot-6 and roughly 140 pounds, last seen dressed in all black. The second suspect appears in a black sweatshirt, black pants, and a red baseball cap. LAPD released the footage on YouTube, and the department's video shows the failed return attempt on April 18, according to LAPD's YouTube post.
What the police released
Detectives say the first break-in happened on April 16, with the suspects returning on April 18 in the Jeep seen on video, when the department recorded their attempted re-entry. Investigators urged anyone with information to contact Rampart Burglary Detectives at (213) 484-3490 or the detective desk at (213) 484-3450; outside business hours, callers were asked to dial 1-877-527-3247, as reported by CBS Los Angeles.
Storage-unit thefts fit a regional pattern
According to detectives, this case tracks with a recent run of storage-unit and cargo-theft investigations across Southern California, where search-warrant sweeps have uncovered large stashes of stolen goods. Local reporting points to a Palmdale operation in late April that recovered thousands of dollars in property and led to arrests.
Legal note
Breaking into a commercial structure, including a storage unit, can be prosecuted as burglary under California law. Under California Penal Code 459, entering a building or storage container with the intent to commit theft or any felony constitutes burglary.
Anyone who recognizes the Jeep, the men in the footage, or who may have captured video from the area is asked to contact investigators or submit an anonymous tip to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or via LA Regional Crime Stoppers. Investigators say those tips could help match recovered items to victims and speed up any arrests.
.jpg){kind=link}