Watch: Los Angeles 7-Eleven store ransacked by late-night 'flash mob' of looters

After a video depicting a "flash mob" of robbers ransacking a 7-Eleven store in Los Angeles grabbed eyeballs, the local police have turned to the public for assistance in identifying those responsible.

The crime spree began on 15 August at 12:40 am with a street takeover at the Figueroa and El Segundo crossroads in Harbor Gateway, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department. As they watched the hooligans perform spin-out doughnuts and other driving antics, some drivers blocked the intersection with their vehicles and then got out.

After that, spectators flocked to the 7-Eleven, where they ruthlessly and brazenly helped themselves to snacks, cigarettes, cold drinks, lottery tickets, and more. The store was also broken into, and the lone employee was attacked with stolen products. The worker, who is the cashier of the store, claimed he was afraid for his life.

The looters disappeared into the nearby streets and parking lots nearly as fast as they had appeared. The marauding swarm had already dispersed by the time the police arrived. To identify and apprehend those responsible for the mayhem, police have obtained the security footage.

The video was captured by a store surveillance camera and the news has been covered by almost all US news outlets. The original clip was posted on the official Twitter account of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Since being shared, it has received over 2 million views on Twitter.

As per a statement by LAPD, the phrase 'flash mob' was first used to describe a big public gathering where people conduct an unusual or seemingly spontaneous act and then disperse, generally organised by means of the internet or social media. The incident comes at a time when LA County District Attorney George Gascon and his office are being criticised for prosecutorial negligence, which some attribute to a rise in the city's crime rate. Gascon has drawn criticism for proposing to relax the state's three strikes law, which calls for more severe punishments for repeat offenders.

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