STORY UPDATE – Two men were arrested Wednesday for allegedly breaking into a much-publicized abandoned luxury skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles that has been heavily covered in graffiti and even used by trespassers for base jumping.
A group of up to eight people reportedly broke into the Oceanwide Plaza property near the 1100 block of Figueroa Street late Tuesday night, and police surrounded the location.
Two men in their 20s were arrested about 8 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Their names were not immediately available for release. Officers remained stationed around the unfinished skyscraper complex Wednesday morning, awaiting any other trespassers who might still be inside.
According to police, officer are unable to enter and search the entire building due to the dangerous conditions inside and the sheer size of the towers.
Officers have increased patrols around the complex for roughly a month, responding to the rash of graffiti and other vandalism. More than two dozen people have been arrested during that span for various offenses, but most of them are simply cited and released pending criminal charges.
“This is 14 on-duty officers that could be doing other things,” LAPD Capt. Raul Jovel told reporters outside the building Wednesday morning, discussing the resources being deployed around the building. “I think the mayor and the chief of police have said that they are doing everything they can to secure access to the building, put up a fence, look into security to have officers disconnect from this building. But right now, as you see, even with officers posted, we have individuals bent on coming in here and going inside this property. We’re trying to prevent that.”
The city recently installed new fencing around the property, which was abandoned by Chinese developers who went bankrupt before the project could be completed. The persistent issues with tagging and other crimes at the property have prompted the city to threaten legal action against the development company and spend money of its own to erect the fencing and increase security.
In addition to the vandalism — including bright graffiti on balconies as high as 20 stories in the air overlooking Crypto.com Arena — recent videos have circulated on the internet showing base jumpers plunging off the Oceanwide Plaza and then paragliding down to the street.
Earlier, the LAPD reported at least seven individuals had been arrested at the property on suspicion of vandalism, trespassing, burglary or other crimes.
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LOS ANGELES – Police continue to arrest people at the site of a high-rise under construction in downtown Los Angeles that was recently tagged with graffiti on nearly every floor, authorities said Sunday.
“In the last 24 hours, there have been multiple arrests of people exiting the ‘PRIVATE PROPERTY’ of Oceanside Plaza. Multiple spray paint cans and an illegal firearm have been recovered during these arrests,” the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division said Saturday morning in a post on X.
The building, located at 12th and South Flower streets, made headlines in recent weeks due to the extensive tagging that occurred on its exterior, on roughly 25 floors.
“Our people remain at the site as the City mobilizes resources to remove the graffiti and fortify the location. All of this in an effort to avoid a tragic fall or other calamity,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore posted Saturday on X. “This isn’t art. It’s a crime.”
On Tuesday, four suspects were arrested for allegedly trespassing at the site. They were identified as Sebastian Gutierrez, 29, Andrew Rios, 30, Mauro Aguilar, 35, and Jessie Carreon, 44, police said. Three of the men were cited and released, and the fourth was held on a pending traffic violation warrant.
Two people were also arrested in the previous week at the building on suspicion of trespassing.
City Councilman Kevin de León has introduced a motion aimed at cleaning the graffiti and pursuing legal action against the building’s developer.