Gang loots Superior Grocers in front of staff in South Los Angeles

A mob of at least 20 thugs ransacked a Superior Grocers store in South Los Angeles early Sunday during an illegal street takeover, forcing terrified employees to flee upstairs and barricade themselves.

The break-in unfolded around 4:30 a.m. near Manchester Avenue and San Pedro Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Officers responded to the chaos and took one person into custody.

Staff who were working inside the store at the time of the raid ran to the second floor and locked themselves in as the group poured through the doors and looted the business. No injuries were reported.

Police said they do not yet know how much merchandise was stolen, and it remains unclear when the store will be able to reopen.

The raid is the latest in a string of brazen smash-and-grabs tied to illegal street takeovers that have plagued Los Angeles in recent weeks.

AutoZone locations in East LA, Watts and Downey were hit multiple times in a matter of days, and a Boyle Heights pharmacy was also targeted by masked thieves who cut through security bars during a similar gathering.

Authorities have formed a task force aimed at cracking down on the takeovers and the property crimes that often follow, but businesses continue to get hit by large, destructive crowds as their vehicles block intersections in the middle of the night.

The investigation into the Superior Grocers burglary is ongoing.

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