What started as a sunset car meetup in the concrete channel of the Los Angeles River near Cypress Park ended with dozens of vehicles on tow trucks and owners staring down steep bills. Los Angeles police impounded 72 vehicles and issued trespassing citations Sunday evening after moving in on the gathering inside the riverbed. Drivers at the scene insist they were there for a skyline photo shoot, not a street takeover, and many say they were blindsided when the tow trucks rolled in. Some attendees warned the impounds could saddle owners with thousands of dollars in fees if vehicles are held in long-term storage.
Police: Task force responded to river channel
The LAPD's Street Racing Task Force says it responded around 6:30 p.m. Sunday to the 400 block of North San Fernando Road and confirmed officers issued trespassing citations and impounded 72 vehicles. As reported by FOX 11 Los Angeles, the department has not said the gathering was an active street race. Officers carried out enforcement inside the riverbed near Cypress Park, where drivers had gathered.
Video shows more than 100 vehicles
Aerial footage reviewed by CBS Los Angeles shows more than 100 vehicles in the riverbed before officers arrived, and several drivers told the station they believed the event had been advertised online as a photo shoot. Alexander Pimienta, whose motorcycle was taken, said small trespassing signs were hard to read and that attendees "weren't doing anything illegal" when officers moved in. Video from the scene shows cars being driven from the river in single file while tow trucks loaded vehicles onto flatbeds, a slow exit for what had looked like a picturesque evening out.
Owners warn of steep impound costs
Attendees told reporters the impounds felt excessive and could create serious financial strain. As FOX 11 Los Angeles reports, Pimienta said some vehicles were being held for 30 days and estimated about $3,000 to reclaim a car after that period. Angel Rodriguez said a citation would have been enough. Several drivers suggested the city should make river access harder to reach so casual meetups cannot drive into the channel and end the night at the impound lot.
What LAPD policy allows
The LAPD's newsroom has long warned that vehicles tied to illegal street racing or exhibitions may be impounded and held, and in past operations the department noted vehicles could be held for up to 30 days. Per the department's online post about task force operations, prior sweeps have included arrests, citations and vehicle impounds as part of efforts to disrupt takeovers. The department also posts contacts for its Central Traffic Division and a 24/7 line for tips and follow-up.
City push to curb takeovers
City leaders have been pushing a tougher enforcement posture. An LAPD report to the City Council and related council files directed the Police Department and LADOT to identify takeover hot spots and step up enforcement. That work, captured in the department's report to the council, is the local policy backdrop to the riverbed enforcement action.
How to find your vehicle or report tips
The LAPD asks anyone with information about the meetup to contact the Central Traffic Division at 213-833-3746 or call the department's 24/7 line at 1-877-LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips may be submitted to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Vehicle owners should follow the instructions on any towing notice and contact the listed impound yard to begin the reclaim process, the department advises.
For now, the episode adds another chapter to the city’s effort to tamp down dangerous takeovers, while prompting questions about when impoundment is the appropriate enforcement tool, and about how to prevent gatherings that drift from a seemingly harmless photo shoot into a public safety problem.
