A family-owned California market has been left devastated after dozens of looters stormed the business during a street takeover.
The owners of A-Z Market in Bellflower are speaking out after roughly 40 to 60 people ransacked their store around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, causing nearly $30,000 in combined losses and property damage. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the burglary unfolded as a street takeover with 100 to 150 vehicles blocked nearby streets and intersections.
Surveillance footage showed three unidentified suspects using power tools to break through the store’s front window and cut the lock on its security gate, according to authorities. Once inside, those suspects cleared the way for dozens more to flood the family business.
“Honestly, I just can’t get the image out of my head, 50 people in my business, ransacking the place, destroying the business, taking everything that I’ve worked so hard for, we’ve worked so hard for, me and my dad and my brother,” one of the owners told KTLA.
The looters were inside for only about two minutes, but the damage was devastating. Images shared by the owners show drawers emptied onto the floor, shelves stripped bare, and merchandise including candy, food and other products scattered throughout the business. The family said the store already had security measures and alarms in place and had been robbed in the past, but they never expected to see their business overwhelmed by such a large group.
“I’m just so out of words that the situation actually happened. Please don’t do this to anyone else. Please don’t. Like, it really hurts us business owners. As a family business, it really hurts,” the owner told the station.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, deputies responding to the area first encountered what appeared to be a street takeover at Bellflower Boulevard and Somerset Boulevard. When deputies reached the business, they found a damaged front-facing window and clear evidence that the store had been ransacked. The suspects reportedly disappeared into the crowd surrounding the street takeover, making it difficult for investigators to immediately identify those responsible.
No arrests have been made in connection with the burglary. Deputies did issue multiple citations related to the street takeover, but authorities said they were unable to establish a connection between anyone cited at the event and the looting inside A-Z Market.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by Nathan Abdullatif describes the Aug. 15 attack as a devastating blow to the family-owned store.
“On the early morning of August 15, our family-owned business, A-Z Market in Bellflower, California, was devastated during a large street takeover in our community,” the fundraiser states.
“A-Z Market is more than just a store to us—it is our livelihood and a place we have worked hard to build and serve our local community,” the GoFundMe reads. “We are asking for your support to help us repair the damage, replace the stolen merchandise, and get our business back on its feet. Any donation, no matter how small, means so much to our family.”
The family is seeking $9,000 through the fundraiser, which had collected just over $1,000 as of Tuesday.
“If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would still help us tremendously,” the family wrote. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out, supported us, and stood by A-Z Market during this difficult time.”
In the viral moment that preceded this latest smash-and-grab spree, street takeovers across Los Angeles County have increasingly served as cover for coordinated burglaries. Just days before the Bellflower raid, another AutoZone in South Los Angeles was burglarized following an alleged street takeover, with two people arrested in connection with the event. The incident followed two raids at an East Los Angeles AutoZone earlier this month that resulted in at least $50,000 in stolen merchandise and three stolen cash registers. Similar break-ins were also reported at AutoZone locations in Watts, Downey and Long Beach, prompting authorities to warn that street takeovers can quickly lead to broader criminal activity.
Anyone with information about the Bellflower burglary is asked to contact Lakewood Station detectives at (562) 623-3500, and anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.