KING CASE AFTERMATH: A CITY IN CRISIS : Shoppers Keep Stores Busy in Buying Surge : Supplies: Residents prepare for long weekend indoors. Supermarkets report some shortages.

The violence in Los Angeles led to spot food shortages and boosted prices of security services, glass, lumber and such essentials as gasoline.

The surge in buying was greatest in neighborhoods near South Los Angeles, where many gas stations and grocery stores were closed. But buying was also brisk in such communities as Palos Verdes and Woodland Hills, as people stocked up on food, paper towels and even videos to prepare for a weekend close to home.

At gas stations, there were scattered reports that pump prices had climbed a few cents on Friday. Market analyst Trilby Lundberg said one Los Angeles gasoline station had hiked the price to $2 a gallon.

The price increases came as the non-contract price that retailers pay for gasoline fell slightly in Los Angeles. Sonali Paul, an editor with Platt’s Oilgram in New York, said such prices fell because Angelenos are driving less in the wake of the disturbances, and supplies are plentiful.

“Refiners have no place to put their gasoline,” she said.

Shoppers in supermarkets throughout the county reported long checkout lines and empty meat cases. Grocers said warehouses were full, and they were trying to keep stores stocked. Vons said that it had trucked in special deliveries of food to stores in Culver City, Hollywood and Inglewood. Nonetheless, some shoppers reported shortages of some items.

Sean Someroff, a sales associate at a Wherehouse video rental outlet in Woodland Hills, said customers began rushing into the store as early as 10 a.m. Friday. “They’re coming in here, renting four videos at a time. It’s been constant all day,” he said.

Security firms said they were overwhelmed with calls, and there were reports that some firms had raised their prices.

Pinkerton’s Inc., the nationwide security-guard company based in Van Nuys, said its contracts often have built-in contingencies that prescribe in advance the cost of additional guard service or overtime use.

“Our offices here are deploying as many security officers as they can,” said spokesman Gerard Brown, adding that some of the firm’s Los Angeles offices are turning away business because there aren’t enough guards to fill the need.

At Wells Fargo Security Services in Paramount, a record number of calls kept all eight phone lines lit throughout the day. The company called in 100 extra guards and put 10% of its force of 400 on overtime. Nonetheless, it couldn’t meet the demand for services from warehouses and factories in Gardena, El Segundo and Lakewood, said dispatcher Sara Aceves.

Malcolm Bennett, owner of International Glass in Inglewood, said he had raised prices by 20% to cover overtime costs for his crews. Bennett said he also had to pay his crews more money to repair storefronts in South Los Angeles.

“We are working day and night and I must have turned away a dozen or more customers,” he said.

At Jones Lumber Co. in South Los Angeles, plywood sales were double the normal amount and sales of fire hoses were five times higher. John Cencak, director of operations at Jones, expects a surge in sales next week, but not one great enough to offset the plunge in construction activity during the last three days.

“This kind of thing, this social disaster, is never good for business,” Cencak said.

Times staff writers John Lippman, Thomas S. Mulligan and Tom Petruno contributed to this story.