COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) — For more than a year, a Compton manufacturing operation has been hit by a wave of illegal street takeovers, turning the roads around the facility into a chaotic scene of screeching tires and nearly 50 cars swarming the streets.
“What concerns us as businesses is that we pay taxes and they continue to repair the damage caused by the street occupation. To me, this is a waste. Why are our tax dollars being spent on this?” said Juan Molina, general manager of a business in the area.
Molina said the weekly incidents were not only damaging the building but also affecting the security team, with one guard being punched in the face during one street takeover in June.
“I was making sure nobody was parked in the car park and a car came in and I told them to leave but then another car came and blocked the main entrance. Next thing I knew it was hitting me so I called the police,” security guard Luis Alamilla said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said they were responding to multiple incidents in the area, with the most recent incident occurring around 1 a.m. last Sunday, when officers cleared the scene after multiple vehicles blocked the road.
But the security team said they would definitely return.
“The sad thing is the police officers. I know they are busy but all they do is chase criminals away. So this year is the worst so far,” Alamilla said.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said it plans to create a task force to study and review trends in the areas and roads most affected.
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