Video captures the terrifying moment a group of masked suspects ransacked a Pico-Union bakery as workers were still inside.
The break-in happened at El Valle Oaxaqueño bakery on the 1600 block of Vermont Avenue at around 3 a.m.
Security video inside the bakery shows the suspects shattering a glass door to enter. An overnight employee is seen running for his life as several masked intruders carrying construction tools chase after him.
The worker hid in a nearby bathroom where suspects tried opening the locked door. He recalled the terrifying ordeal through a translator.
“I went to the oven to check the bread,” said the victim, who wished to remain anonymous. “At that moment, they broke in and started screaming. The only reaction I had was running to the restroom. I thought, ‘I’m going to die.’ I thought they were going to kill me.”
Cameras captured the group of thieves eventually forcing the remaining workers in the bakery into another restroom.
The bakery’s owner, Arturo Aguilar, said while the employees were locked up, the intruders ran around the shop for eight minutes, searching for cash and valuables.
“They didn’t find money because we don’t keep money here,” Aguilar said through a translator. “At the end of the day, they just took a basket with candies and small stuff and they left.”
The five intruders exit the bakery and head to a getaway car described as a newer model dark-colored Cadillac SUV. A license plate was not captured as it had been covered.
Authorities believe a sixth suspect may have been the getaway driver.
Still shaken from the terrifying ordeal, Aguilar said he’s thankful nobody was hurt. However, he estimates the damage left by the suspects will cost thousands of dollars to repair.
He plans to implement additional security measures to hopefully prevent a similar situation from happening again. He also said he believes local government needs to be stricter on criminals targeting small businesses like his.
The suspects remain at large. Anyone with information on the incident can call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-275-5273.