LAPD's 'Operation Street Sweeper' Impounds 200 Cars, Arrests 69 In Huge Labor Day Weekend Street Takeover Bust

The city of Los Angeles and its police department are seriously done with street takeovers. In an effort to crack down on these dangerous semi-impromptu gatherings known to invoke damage of area businesses and chaos in surrounding neighborhoods as well as unsafe road conditions, the LAPD created "Operation Street Sweeper." Over the holiday weekend, over 150 officers who participated in  the operation took down one of the city's massive takeovers, with over 700 people in attendance that resulted in the impounding of 200 vehicles and 69 (nice) arrests.

Details of the crackdown were revealed through Fox 11 Los Angeles, which was invited to accompany the LAPD behind-the-scenes during the weekend's street takeover bust. The LAPD realized taking down one individual at a time for these takeovers wasn't getting the job done, so the department focused on spending time monitoring groups via drone surveillance, intelligence gathering and even through monitoring social media to find takeovers in real time.

Police were able to identify four separate street takeovers while still in the planning stages. In Fox 11's video, LAPD Deputy Chief Marc Reina told reporters during the operation, "the cars with the hazard lights on are normally those that are involved in the street takeover, so we'll monitor them with drones right now."

Police followed the suspected participant vehicles via drones to South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard, and waited until more than 700 people gathered to watch burnouts and other outrageous car stunts before moving in. LAPD was joined by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and California Highway Patrol later on.

There, the LAPD arrested 69 individuals, most for "allegedly participating in or aiding a street race or takeover," while there was one arrest for allegedly assaulting a police officer, one for alleged battery, and one for allegedly obstructing or interfering with officers. Police loaded those individuals onto two jail buses to be processed. Officers also issued 570 citations — 442 were for spectating a speed contest or exhibition of speed, and 128 for juveniles for curfew violations. Seven firearms were recovered along with canisters of nitrous oxide. Police also reported a vehicle fire at the scene. 

Tow trucks lined the streets as they impounded vehicle after vehicle through Saturday morning; 200 vehicles in all (most seemingly clad in tint and aftermarket wheels). According to CBS LA, those cars now populate about half a dozen impound lots. One of them currently houses about 60 of those cars which are on a 30-day hold, meaning if owners don't pay the fees and recover their vehicles, they can be sold at auction. CBS LA reported that those fees, $215 for towing, a daily storage fee with tax at $72.60 and the city administrative fee of $115 would put a car in there for one day at a total of $400. For the full 30 days it could reach upwards of $2,500.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass sent out a statement thanking the LAPD, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for their efforts over the weekend. Her comments included a reminder of the city's zero tolerance for illegal street racing and takeovers. The department sent out this cringy White House-like Facebook post to celebrate its efforts.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell also reaffirmed that Operation Street Sweeper was not a one-off. The chief is currently pushing for legislation that would also allow the city to crush vehicles used in takeovers, but according to Fox 11, he also said those vehicles can sometimes be stolen vehicles, rentals, and parent's cars, all of whom might have issue with that result.

The LAPD's operation is an interesting approach to taking on the street takeovers that continue to plague and grow throughout Los Angeles. Hopefully one that can hopefully help the city tamper some of the issue. But takeovers are not just an issue in LA. They continue to happen across the country. Over the holiday weekend Milwaukee Police issued 126 citations and impounded six vehicles for a street takeover in the Wisconsin city. Street takeovers also happened in Chicago, Greenville County and Charleston, South Carolina, and in St. Louis, Missouri where it ended with a vehicle fire. LAPD's efforts might be able to get ahead of the problem and catch it before it ends in destruction, fire, injuries or death, but only helps in LA at the moment.

Maybe the real problem is that these kids — considering there were many underaged youths cited for breaking city-established curfews in LA — just need more of those "third spaces" everyone keeps talking about. If they had more places to hang out maybe they'd be less inclined to stage a dangerous party in an intersection just for the sake of something to do.