Westlake District Discount Store Responds After Video Shows Rat Roaming Inside

WESTLAKE DISTRICT (CBSLA) — The 99 Cent Only store responded Wednesday to a video that captured a rat roaming around inside the Westlake District location.

The video, shot Monday night after the store on Alvarado Street was closed, shows at least one rat running around inside near the front doors.

The person who shot the video said it was taken just before midnight while he was waiting for a bus.

On Wednesday, a company spokesperson emailed a statement.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our food and the cleanliness of our stores. We have taken immediate action to sanitize this area and have stepped up our pest control enforcement both in and around this store to make sure this issue is resolved. We have voluntarily contacted the Los Angeles County Health Department and will be working closely with them to resolve this issue. We apologize for this unfortunate situation and assure our customers that we are doing everything possible to prevent future problems from occurring."