LAPD busts massive street takeover in South Bay, impounding more than 100 cars

The Los Angeles Police Department and multiple other agencies responded in droves early Saturday to reports of an illegal street takeover in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood of L.A. near Gardena.

Several cars filled the streets around South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard, where police told OnScene.TV they’d towed about 160 vehicles, made dozens of arrests and located six guns.

Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose district includes Harbor Gateway, said to OnScene.TV that officers impounded cars, and drivers were booked while other attendees were cited. Officers took children in attendance to a nearby station where their parents could pick them up, McOsker said.

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McOsker said that around 3 a.m., L.A. police surrounded the intersection to block attendees from fleeing.

“This is an area where on many weekends, especially throughout the summer, there were street takeovers, and this being the first night of Labor Day weekend, LAPD was ready,” McOsker said.

Law enforcement vehicles had blocked off the intersection to prevent attendees from fleeing, a Los Angeles City Council member said.

(OnScene.TV)

Footage from OnScene.TV shows agents from Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, walking around the scene.

When asked if he knew what role the agency played at the street takeover, McOsker said he didn’t know whether Homeland Security Investigations was there.

“And I don’t know what role they played, this was a local police operation to stop street takeovers,” McOsker said.