Children who joined the 7-Eleven flash mob, given away by their parents

At least three parents turned their children over to the Los Angeles Police Department for their involvement in multiple flash mob robberies of 7-Eleven stores across the city this summer, according to officials. Parents spotted their children in surveillance footage released by Los Angeles police as many of the people involved in the robberies made no attempt to cover their faces while grabbing bags of chips and candy.

From July 12 to September 20, children on bicycles crowded 7-Eleven stores in groups of 20-40. Los Angeles police responded to 14 reports of flash mobs, mostly involving teenagers wearing hoods or simply smiling while grabbing armfuls of drugs. things off the shelves. Some people wore masks or T-shirts pulled over their faces, according to photos captured on surveillance footage inside the stores.

All but one of the robberies occurred on Fridays between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., police said in a Sept. 25 press release. The robberies occurred in various neighborhoods across the city, including Rampart, Wilshire, Hollywood and West Los Angeles.

The day after Los Angeles police released the photos, the first of three parents turned their child over to police, Asst. According to news station KTLA, Chief Blake Chow made the announcement during Tuesday’s meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners.

“On September 26, the Retail Organized Crime Task Force arrived in the Northeast area where a parent brought his minor child who was involved in a flash robbery. The child was booked for robbery,” Chow said during the meeting. “On September 28, another parent from the Southwest Area brought her child to the station. This juvenile was convicted of robbery in connection with the lightning fast robbery of a 7-Eleven. On September 29, a similar situation occurred in 77, where a parent gave up a child. This minor was also convicted of robbery.”

Investigators believe many of the teenagers involved in the flash mobs were not from the neighborhoods where they carried out the robberies, Chow told the police commission. Police expect to make more arrests as they receive tips about the robberies. Police are also working with schools to identify other people involved in the case, according to Chow.

Los Angeles police did not respond to requests for additional information about the arrests or the suspects’ ages. It is unclear whether any additional charges will be brought against those arrested. Police say several witnesses were pushed during the flash mob, but there were no reports of injuries.

Additional tips can be obtained from the Los Angeles Police Department at (877)-LAPD-24-7 or (877) 527-3247. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers Los Angeles regional offices by calling (800) 222-TIPS, (800) 222-8477 or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.