Surveillance cameras on a downtown L.A. business captured an attempted burglary as thieves in a U-Haul box truck plowed through the steel gate into the parking lot before trying to ram their way into the brick building.
More than a dozen other masked suspects stood by hoping the driver of the truck could ram through the bicycle shop’s brick building.
The incident, which happened at Just Ride Los Angeles, occurred over the weekend. The owner, identified only as Danny, said he’s never had anything this extreme happen to his shop.
“Through our gate and into our storage to get through and get bicycles,” he told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw.
Just Ride has been in business for 15 years, selling bikes and scooters. While the would-be thieves didn’t get any of the shop’s merchandise, they still caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to a business that was already struggling.
“We had one of our hardest years ever in the 15 years we’ve been in business, so this definitely doesn’t help,” Danny said. “It sucks, and I don’t even call this a small business anymore. We’re a micro-business in this day and age. We can barely pay our rent.”
The Just Ride L.A. owner believes his business could’ve just been another target in a ring of bicycle thefts in the state.
“We know there’s been a ring of them hitting different bike shops across Cali and across the whole nation,” he explained. “So, we might’ve just been one and a lot of them were successful. Luckily, we’re okay, but I mean they got pretty damn close.”
Danny said he hopes more can be done to stop criminals from crashing into businesses, and while he’s looking into even more barriers to protect his store’s property, he said he wishes there was a heavier police presence in the area.
“There should be a specific type of prosecution for an attempt like this, and I think just more presence,” he said. “It sounds like though there isn’t as many police officers and then they’re spread thin and they’re wearing multiple hats, dealing with homeless.”
Anyone with information about the attempted break-in is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department. Anonymous tips can be made through L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online at L.A. Crime Stoppers.