Just days after being ransacked and looted by a street takeover mob, Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food in Compton reopened for business on Friday morning.
Surveillance cameras captured video of the chaos when around 100 people raided the decades-old bakery and store located at 2701 N. Santa Fe Ave. early Tuesday morning after a driver deliberately backed through the storefront.
The owners, the Ramirez family, said in a press release that the vandals caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the store, in addition to merchandise and equipment that was damaged or taken.
Surveillance video shows a large mob ransacking Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food in Compton, California. Jan. 2, 2023. 
Surveillance video shows a large mob ransacking Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food in Compton, California. Jan. 2, 2023. 
Surveillance video shows a large mob ransacking Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food in Compton, California. Jan. 2, 2023. 
A Compton bakery was broken into amid a street takeover on Jan. 2, 2023. (KTLA)
“We must state the facts – those individuals who looted our store and those who have participated in the ‘smash and grab’ robberies throughout Los Angeles County do so knowing that there is a lack of political will to enforce the laws that exist to protect ALL families and ALL businesses,” Ruben Ramirez Jr. said in the release.
“We need those responsible for enforcing our laws to do their job and make sure criminals know that our laws need to be respected and if you break the law, you will be held accountable and you will pay the consequences. No business, regardless of what community they are in, should ever have to go through what we’re going through now. Enough is enough.”
Despite their frustration, the Ramirez family said they wanted to reopen to “again service the needs of local working families in Compton,” adding that “this is only possible thanks to the support from their family, friends, staff and community members who reached out and offered to help in whatever way possible.”
“Along with being able to serve their regular base of daily clients, the Ramirez Family will be able to bake and sell traditional roscas on Saturday, January 6th, (which are oval-shaped bread decorated with colorful candies, so that it can be shared between family members and loved ones) on ‘El Dia de los Reyes Magos’, the Day of the Three Kings,” the release added.
Ruben Ramirez Jr. added that this is only a partial reopening, as “it will take us a few weeks for our store to return to full operations.”
