Hundreds of people took part in an illegal “street occupation” in Santa Ana, California, over the weekend.
More than a dozen cars were stolen and vandalized in other incidents in the Los Angeles area. In Cleveland, Ohio, multiple young people were shot during a recent street attack. One former detective believes crime mitigation policies and social media are to blame.
“Street takeover is when a large group descends on the road to race, burn out, or do tricks on the road, effectively making the road unavailable to anyone who wants to use it,” the sheriff said. said Lolita Harper, executive director of staff. welfare association, said Fox News.
A large group of “hundreds” gathered at a Santa Ana intersection and watched cars do donuts around a massive fire in the middle of the road, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported. Police were called to the scene, but it's unclear if anyone was arrested for the dangerous disturbance.
'12' cars participated in 'at least three' road hijackings in San Fernando Valley Saturday NBC 4 Los Angeles reported that there was theft, vandalism and arson overnight.
In Anaheim, where Disneyland is located, a 7-Eleven clerk said, was assaulted According to , a mob took part in a street occupation outside. Los Angeles Times.
Another chaotic takeover in August outside a Whole Foods in Los Angeles resulted in people attempting the trick being hit by cars.
Incidents like this are common on the West Coast, but are becoming increasingly common in other parts of the country.
“They're becoming increasingly dangerous in terms of the damage they're causing, the crowds they're attracting, essentially taking over entire communities and intersections, resulting in… property damage, damage to vehicles. Even lights are causing 'fires, windows [sic]Smash,” Harper said.
In Cleveland, a 17-year-old girl shot According to , a 21-year-old was killed during a “car rally” on August 10 and during a street occupation in July. Akron Beacon Journal.
At least one other person was injured in a separate criminal street siege in Suffolk, New York over the weekend.
According to Harper, who worked as a detective with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, “Technology has made it so much easier to spread this negative message…and at the same time attract more crowds.” It can attract more people, which makes it harder to commit crimes again.''As popularity increases, so does the danger. ”
Law enforcement veterans also cited California's lax laws as a factor in the increase in such incidents.
“I think California has led the way in decriminalizing a lot of things,” she told Fox News. “We've taken the focus away from what they're trying to call non-violent crimes, and there are virtually no penalties for what is classified as non-violent, and the crimes are just getting more and more. Because , because people know they're not going to join in.'' Trouble. “
“The size of the crowd… it's hard to pinpoint who's doing it. Once they're physically present in the area, people disperse quickly,” Harper continued. “Large crowds mean there needs to be a large-scale enforcement presence that takes resources away from other areas of the city.”
Harper added that allowing these street takeovers to occur diminishes the “quality of life” in those communities.
“The potential for loss of life is incredible,” she says. “You're taking away safety. You're taking away a sense of community. … You can't quantify it in the loss of life, but it's also a tragedy. You're taking away quality of life from these communities. There is.”
