OAKLAND -- In a case that has had many twists and turns, Oakland police said that a group of thieves took advantage of fire damage to an Oakland liquor store early Wednesday, looting the market of beer and groceries.

The looting was just the latest crime focused at the New York Market. The corner liquor store was vandalized Thanksgiving Eve by a group of well-dressed attackers who threatened an employee, smashed beverage coolers and sent shelves of liquor bottles crashing to the floor.

Then on Monday, an arsonist torched the market and an employee kidnapped and found locked in the trunk of a car in an El Cerrito Safeway parking lot 12 hours later.

On Tuesday, two men -- the teenage son of late Muslim leader Yusuf Bey and 73-year-old Donald Cunningham -- were arrested for their role in vandalizing the New York Market on Thanksgiving Eve and another nearby liquor store.

Then early Wednesday morning, looters gained access to the heavily damaged market through a window blown out by Monday's fire.

"There were about 5-6 people outside the store," a witness told KTVU. "And I don't how many people inside. There was a steady stream of beer and groceries being handed out the door."

There was no word if there had been any arrests in the looting case.

At a Tuesday press conference, Deputy Police Chief Howard Jordan said Cunningham and Bey turned themselves in to face charges including robbery, felony vandalism, conspiracy and terrorist threats. Police have obtained warrants charging four other suspects with similar crimes and expect arrests soon.

Bey, who has been linked to a black Muslim group that runs the Your Black Muslim Bakery store chain, was taken to North County Jail and was being held on $200,000 bail, according to police.

The arrests cap a bizarre week that has included the vandalism of the San Pablo Liquor store and the New York Market last Wednesday by men wearing suits and bow ties.

The men, all of whom were black, smashed liquor bottles and toppled food racks while demanding that both stores stop selling alcohol to black people, authorities said.

Then, days later, the store clerk at the New York Market was kidnapped and the business was burned down.

Store employee Abdel Hamdan was found safe in the trunk of a car Monday, about 12 hours after the fire, as police sought to get to the bottom of the attacks.

"We're very happy that he came back safe," said Frank Hernen, manager of New York Market. "We don't want this to go further."

Jordan said that Cunningham and Bey have not been charged in the arson or kidnapping.

The fire destroyed the store's merchandise and caused major structural damage to the building, police said.

The incident at San Pablo Liquor was caught on surveillance tape, and police said they have identified six of the 10 or 11 vandals and believe the same men trashed the New York Market.

Suspicion immediately fell on the Nation of Islam, a group of Muslims whose members often wear suits and bow ties. However, Jordan said the suspects are not members of the Nation of Islam. He held out the possibility that they belong to a separate Muslim group based in Oakland.

In 1993, Muslims affiliated with a group which operates the Your Black Muslim Bakery store chain and whose members also wear suits and bow ties, were involved in a similar incident at a Richmond liquor store, police said.

Investigators were looking into the recent vandalism as hate crimes because the store owners are of Middle Eastern background and are Muslims, Jordan said Monday.

"In both incidents, the suspects entered the store and questioned why a Muslim-owned store would sell alcoholic beverages when it is against the Muslim religion," police said in a statement.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking part in the investigation.