A group of California bicyclists attacked three 7-Eleven stores in less than 20 minutes, just hours after Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed a “landmark” bill to crack down on retail theft.
On Friday night, about 20 thieves on bicycles targeted convenience stores two miles apart in the Hollywood area. According to NBC Los Angelesciting the Los Angeles Police Department.
Starting at the 7-Eleven at 7040 West Sunset Boulevard just after 8 p.m., the bold group broke into each store, stealing food and drinks.
The store’s windows remained shattered.
According to the outlet, an employee at a second store near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Boulevard was allegedly assaulted around 8:16 p.m.
A third store on Santa Monica Boulevard was attacked at 8:22 p.m.
The Post has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Friday night’s unrest was the latest in a string of robberies plaguing California.
A store manager told the outlet that the teenagers seen on surveillance cameras on Friday appeared to be the same group that attacked two other 7-Eleven stores in the area last week.
In California, shoplifting increased by 22% from 2019 to 2022, while commercial theft and robbery increased by 16% and 13%, respectively, the California Police Department reported. Public Policy Institute of California.
The robberies have left local and state politicians in a bind, with Governor Newsom just signing a bipartisan bill into law on Friday.
The “landmark” bill was signed into law to impose tougher penalties on repeat shoplifters, retail theft and motor vehicle thieves.
The law also “allows for the aggregation of stolen property, which can help prosecutors add up the value of multiple stolen items to meet the threshold for a grand theft charge, even if they are from different victims or counties.”
Grand theft in California is defined as the theft of property valued at $950 or more.
“Let me be clear: this is the most significant bill addressing property crime in California’s modern history,” Newsom said. said on Friday.
“While some want to return to the ineffective and costly policies of the past, these new laws show a better way forward — providing meaningful tools that make our communities safer and help law enforcement apprehend and hold criminals accountable.”
