Los Angeles, Ca
Smash-and-grab burglar steals thousands of dollars worth of items from Long Beach shop
Following a string of costly and destructive smash-and-grab burglaries, a Long Beach store owner said she is now struggling to stay in business.
On Oct. 16, police responded to a break-in at DeadRockers on the 1000 block of East Wardlow Road at around 4 a.m.
The suspect used a hammer to destroy the glass entrance door before running inside and ransacking the shop.
He quickly grabbed armfuls of clothing and merchandise off store shelves and placed the items inside an awaiting getaway car.
“They actually make a couple of trips in and out to a minivan, a Honda Odyssey van,” said Lindsay Shaver, the shop’s owner.
The suspect fled the scene around 45 minutes before police arrived, escaping with around $5,000 worth of items.
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The front doors of DeadRockers in Long Beach were smashed in by a burglar on Oct. 16, 2024. (GoFundMe) -
Surveillance video captured the burglar grabbing armfuls of valuable merchandise while ransacking DeadRockers in Long Beach on Oct. 16, 2024. (Lindsay Shaver) -
The front doors of DeadRockers in Long Beach were smashed in by a burglar on Oct. 16, 2024. (KTLA) -
Owner Lindsay Shaver organizes items for sale at DeadRockers in Long Beach, a shop dedicated to punk rock clothing, accessories and collectibles. (KTLA) -
The front doors of DeadRockers in Long Beach were smashed in by a burglar on Oct. 16, 2024. (KTLA) -
Surveillance video captured the burglar grabbing armfuls of valuable merchandise while ransacking DeadRockers in Long Beach on Oct. 16, 2024. (Lindsay Shaver)
Shaver said the destructive smash-and-grab was the fourth time her store was burglarized in the last two years. Her punk rock shop sells a variety of unique items including collectible vinyl records, handbags, clothing and more.
“Four times in two years is excessive so it’s been a challenge,” Shaver said.
She has operated the store for over a decade but said the string of costly break-ins has left her struggling to keep her small business afloat.
Thousands of dollars worth of merchandise was lost and even more will be spent to pay for needed repairs.
She said the local police department is forced to deal with constant break-ins almost every day.
“They are getting about four to five calls per night of break-ins and burglaries and just North Division Long Beach alone and they’re struggling to deal with it all,” she said.
Shaver is considering moving out of Long Beach due to the troubling uptick in crime.
“I’ve definitely thought about it, which is hard because we love it here and it is where we’ve been for over a decade,” she said. “We love the community here, we love the people here, but it is really frustrating.”
No suspect information was provided as the incident remains under investigation.
Shaver said she hopes to keep her store operating but would need community support to help update her security system and recover from her losses. A GoFundMe page to support the small business can be found here.
Anyone with information on the theft can call the Long Beach Police Department at 562-570-7260.
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
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