An early dawn sweep of homeless people along the beach in Venice Friday netted 20 arrests, police said. Some of the young people arrested thanked police for taking them in because they had not showered in days.

The Beach Curfew Task Force hit the area around Muscle Beach before dawn and targeted curfew violators (the beach is off limits after midnight). The sweep was the result of complaints of burglaries and other overnight crimes in the area.

Officers on horseback and in SUVs led the charge. All 20 arrests were based on warrants, some of them felonies, police said. Some of those arrested were teenagers.

The suspects were taken to the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division near Culver City. Counselors were on-hand to help those contacted by officers find housing.

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