- Hundreds swarmed Seaside parking lots in illegal street takeovers during Car Week.
- Police called in mutual aid, shutting down multiple hotspots across the city.
- Authorities vow stronger enforcement next year as chaos overshadows official events.
Car Week is never a boring affair, but residents of Monterey and Seaside don’t always love the influx of visitors. As the week came to a close, an In-N-Out and a Home Depot saw events cross the line. What started out as a gathering of cool cars ended with illegal takeover activities and police vowing to be better prepared in 2026.
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“I’ve never seen it like that before. It was crazy,” said Seaside local Shyla Lucas, who saw the chaos spill down her street. Police eventually moved in, barricading roads around 11 p.m. to contain the takeover, but the scale of the crowd was unlike anything in the area in the past.
More: Dodge Charger Driver Arrested After Wild Street Takeover Ends In Chaos And Injuries
Video from Sunday night shows a group of high-end supercars and hundreds of pedestrians at the In-N-Out. The video shows Lamborghinis, McLarens, and others having their engines revved in the lot while police are nearby. Frankly, it looks quite peaceful in comparison to other takeovers we’ve seen. Evidently, it was after the meet-up at the burger joint that things took a turn.
Lucas tells KSBW that cars lined up to do donuts before police shut them down. Evidently, police needed multiple departments to shut everything down as the group moved to a nearby Home Depot after leaving In-N-Out.
“We have never had that problem here at In-N-Out, we’ve never at Home Depot during Car Week,” said Seaside police Chief Nick Borges. “This year was a first for us. You can see, just walking through here, the tire rubber that’s left behind,” Borges said. “Just shows a lack of respect.”
For some locals, staying out of the area during Monterey Car Week is the only solution. “We try to avoid most of the peninsula during that week because it’s just too chaotic trying to get around,” said Marina resident Beth Macdonald. Police say they’ll be better equipped to handle the issue next year.
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