LAPD moved in on an overnight street takeover in Harbor Gateway around 3:20 a.m., sending a fleet of tow trucks and buses to South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard as multiple drivers were arrested and vehicles were impounded.
The operation came as video from the scene showed a large law enforcement presence, including what appeared to be the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and police, at the intersection of Figueroa and Alondra. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson gave the location and timing of the sweep, tying it to the Street Racing Task Force.
By morning, LAPD said the area was still an active scene and no updates were available. Arrest numbers were not yet released even though the operation had already produced arrests and vehicle impounds, and the department said more detail was expected sometime Saturday afternoon or Sunday.
The target was not random. Illegal street takeovers have been a recurring problem in the county for the last few years, and residents said the corner is often used for them. One resident called the activity dangerous, saying there was debris in the street and fireworks were set off, with no respect for people living nearby.
The crackdown also fits a broader push by law enforcement to contain the problem before it spills into something worse. Last month, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it was working to identify and hold organizers and participants accountable through arrests, vehicle impounds, citations and criminal prosecution, and the LASD Detective Division has formed a Street Racing Task Force.
What remains unanswered is the scale of this particular sweep. LAPD has already said drivers were arrested and cars were taken away, but the count is still pending, which means the morning response was only the first public sign of how large the operation may have been.
