The trend in the increase of robberies carried out with luxury of violence against the victims is not only a reality and concern for the authorities, but also for the residents of the areas where the thieves have run over people and have even threatened them with guns.
“We are seeing that robberies have increased in the streets and people who they continue to their premises and businesses,” Al Labrada, commander of the South Office of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), told Real America News.
“We have seen that the opportunists are attacking to people who may have jewelry.”
Labrada added that, in areas such as the city center, particularly in the jewelry district and the west of the city, -in Beverly Hills- worrying incidents have occurred.
The 11 April, a woman was chased in her car and then run over by thieves in the jewelry district, in the downtown area of the city.
The thugs chased her in a silver Dodge Challenger vehicle, after she had left a jewelry store located between 8th streets and Francisco to his car.
A thief who was watching her got out of the Dodge Challenger and with a heavy tool smashed the driver’s side window . The victim attempted to drive away, but was unable to due to traffic.
When her vehicle stopped, the victim got out of her vehicle and ran west on 8th Street in search of help; she tried to flee through Francisco street, but she was unsuccessful, when she was returning through 8th street she was run over by the assailants.
“Once she was on the ground, the woman took off her watch and launched it,” reported the commander. “The suspects got out of the vehicle, picked up the watch and left.”
Labrada stated that the woman suffered injuries that were not endanger her life. The case is still under investigation based on the recorded video.
Due to the upward trend of “express” robberies and the growth of crime, the LAPD created the Division of Robberies and Homicide, a special group of officers and detectives who can patrol conflict zones or can work undercover.
“We are using most of our officers to capture these individuals”, Labrada commented. “We already know that they belong to some gangs”.
In the trend of crimes, suspects select their victims, follow them and when they are in isolated areas such as a parking lot, when they arrive home or in an area with little public lighting, they are held up at gunpoint or beaten.
On March 6, around the 11: pm, an attempted robbery occurred on the block south of Grand Avenue.
An individual victim and a friend went to an upscale restaurant in the Hollywood area. After dinner, the victim took her friend home and then drove to her residence. While he was driving he noticed a white 4-door sedan or possibly a Volkswagen following her.
The victim entered an alley that He was driving to the back entrance of the apartment where he lives, parked his Lamborghini, and upon entering his home was robbed and pistol-whipped. A car belonging to the suspects chased him into the alley and other accomplices were waiting for him in a different car that they parked in the middle of the street.
“We live in this area, but we don’t go out walking very often anymore. at night”, commented Jason Travis, from 17 years old and his girlfriend, Monique Schwartz, of 12. “If we see a suspicious car we leave immediately”.
Wilshire Division
A major problem unfolds in the Wilshire area, led by Captain Sonia Monico and Jerry W. Chaney where virtually all violent crime has increased globally: 44% more homicides; 233% more violations; 41.8% more robberies, except for one 5.2% reduction in aggravated assaults.
In property crimes, auto thefts almost doubled: from 86 to 2020, to 207 to the present, that is, 86.5% more; 150% more in shootings (8 in 2020 Y 20 up to 2022) and shooting victims: 5 in 2020 and 11 in the lump sum so far from 2022 (120% increase).
“If they want to come and rob me, I’ll fuck them”, said Carolina “N”, a Latina resident of the Melrose area, who went to buy dinner at Tacos Guelaguetza, on the corner of Vine and Melrose. “In my car I have to love them; that’s where I carry my taser and my gun”.
According to the Crime Grade crime map in the Melrose area , where in September of 2021 there was a 75% increase in armed robberies, your overall crime rate is D-; an F for the degree of violent crime and a D- for other crimes.
Adds that, in that area of the city of Los Angeles, a violent crime (murder, rape, aggravated assault or break-in) occurs every 22 days and 11 hours, and a household has 300% more likely to be robbed if there is no security system.
“My cousin was robbed six months ago and they stole all the money from the sale,” said Víctor González, manager of the Taquería Guelaguetza. “But now the police come by more often and even come to dinner, and we feel safer.”
Although the crime has increased, the wave of violence is nowhere near its peak for the decade of 1990.
Homicides in Los Angeles reached 397 in 2021, the most in more than a decade and an increase of 50 % from 2019, but well below 1000 deaths reached during the last decade of the last century.
Recently, the head of the LAPD, Michel Moore, told the Civilian Police Commission that robberies with firearms increased by 57% from 2020 and a 50% from 2019, with hundreds more incidents at 2021.
In mid-March, property crime increased by more than 5% compared to last year, and car thefts were once again a major concern for the authorities, increasing by 41%.
“I start working in recycling at 4: 30 in the morning and yes, walking the streets in the dark is very dangerous,” said Ezequiel Chevez, a native of from La Paz, El Salvador. “I’m worried that the thieves spend their time doing pure evil, but no way, you have to go out to work every day.”
They select their victims
In the trend of crimes, suspects select their victims, follow them and when they are in isolated areas such as a parking lot, when they get home or in an area with little public lighting is when they are held up at gunpoint or beaten.
What can be done?
The LAPD urges citizens and anyone to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
If you have any information about people who may be responsible for violent crimes, please call the LAPD. Outside of business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-800-3247).
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-527-233-TIPS (800-233-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Informants can also visit http://www.lapdonline.org and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” in the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit a tip online.
Lastly, people they can also download the “P3 Tips” mobile app and select LA Regional Crime Stoppers.