Another taco stand was robbed overnight in South Los Angeles, an area that in recent weeks has seen a string of violent and unprovoked robberies targeting street vendors.
The latest robbery happened around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday at a small taco stand called Tacos Oscarin near Manchester and Towne avenues, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Two suspects were involved.
Nobody was hurt, but the stand’s owner said the suspects were armed and wearing ski masks. They took off with about $50.
“It was fast. They came to me and that’s when the guy pointed at me in front of the table… and then at that point, with a gun pointed at you, what else can you do, you know?” said Oscar Lozano. “I am not going to lose my life over some money.”
The number of robberies reported by LAPD in the Southeast Division is lower than in past years. The number peaked in 2017 at more than 1,000 incidents. Over the last 12 months through June 12, there have been 624 robberies reported in the area.
There have been at least five taco stand robberies in that area in the past few weeks. Lozano said Wednesday’s incident marks the second time Tacos Oscarin has been targeted.
“For people just to come armed and take what they’ve been working for, making money to support their families, it’s just not fair,” he said.
The Union of Vendors Association, a nonprofit that advocates for street vendors, has a team that’s been helping those vendors who have been robbed.
They provide them with security tools, such as pepper spray and even armed security. Plus, the group helps educate vendors on various safety tips and helps them transition to mobile payment services such as Venmo.
The group also works with elected officials to create a safer environment for vendors overall.
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