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.
-
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.