South Los Angeles business owner is frustrated after several break-ins since August

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) – A South Los Angeles business owner fears her business will continue to be the target of robberies and is now asking for help.

Anna Mayes has owned the Unique Fashion Mall store on S. Western Avenue for about three decades, but says she has never seen crimes so brazen or frequent. She says her clothing store has been broken into four times since August.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Never. It has to stop. “You can’t keep doing this,” she said.

In addition to the four break-ins, there were also three robberies at the store.

The latest incident occurred on Saturday morning. According to investigators, the suspects broke down the store’s metal gate and smashed the glass door. They then spent over an hour filling two bags with nearly $10,000 worth of sportswear and other clothing.

“Is it because people don’t make money to come here and buy their stuff instead of breaking in in my place and tearing it down like this and putting me out of business,” Mayes said.

Mayes says the price she’s paying for all the crime could force her to close her doors by the end of the year. She is asking the mayor and city council to do something about the growing problem.

For small businesses like her own, the burglaries are destroying their bottom line.

“We have to do something. Someone needs to take care of me here…there are probably a million of us everywhere who need that kind of help.”

Mayes says two suspects have been arrested and some of the stolen goods have been returned, but she fears the crime will continue.