Only On: Angeleno Heights residents install cameras in hopes of combatting street racing activity
After failing to receive help from the city in regards to constant street takeover activity, Angeleno Heights residents have taken matters into their own hands - installing cameras along popular streets in hopes of curbing the amount of takeovers and street races happening outside of their homes.
The community has long been plagued by the issue for nearly two decades now, since the popular "Fast and Furious" franchise, which just filmed it's latest installment, centered around the neighborhood back in 2001.
Neighbors say that the repeat incidents have severely decreased their quality of life in recent years.
While the issue has disrupted the lives of many Angelenos and some point or another, reaching an all-time frequency during the pandemic, Angeleno Heights has constantly been a popular location due to the attraction of repeating the stunts performed in the films at the same location.
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One woman, who didn't want to show her face on camera due to possible retaliation from the street takeover community, said that there could be anywhere between four and 10 instances a day, especially during the night.
"It's like all of a sudden you're woken up by this incredibly loud screeching sound," she said.
She's one of many residents fed up with the constant noise and damaged streets that come along with the events.
Residents say that they've made several complaints over the years, hoping for some sort of assistance from city officials. Without much change in that time, they've finally taken matters into their own hands.
Many have installed cameras on their homes, hoping to document as much of each event as they can to document the illegal activity, which they plan to bring to the city as often as they can.
"Neighbors have decided to come together, they're installing cameras in their neighborhood to actually document the number of times street racing is happening," said Damian Kevitt with S.A.F.E., or Streets Are For Everyone. He's offered his assistance to residents who are fed up with the issue. "Our organization is working with them to do that documentation so we can then take that to the city."
Some residents say that they've received backlash from some of the participants in the past, even getting threats, but they said that the constant hindrance on their lives has gone on long enough.
They're hoping that the efforts will lead city officials to finally take action, which they hope comes in the form of narrower streets and an expansion of Marion Park.
