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LAPD Releases Video of Jewelry District Robbery, Seeks 3 Suspects
via LAPDTV.org
LAPD detectives are asking for the public's help in finding three suspects pictured in surveillance video of a recent Jewelry district robbery released Thursday morning. The June 22nd incident was one of several in a recent spate of quick, in-and-out jewelry store robberies taking place in broad daylight, according to police:
“We’ve been seeing these smash-and-grabs occurring for several weeks,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Central Detective Division. “As you can see in the video, the use of pepper spray has become a common tactic.”
More than $7,000 in jewelry was taken in this robbery, which occured at 21st Century Jewelry at 739 S. Broadway in downtown L.A. The three suspects fled in a white Toyota Camry.The LAPD blog post mentions that detectives believe the uptick in jewelry store robberies may be related to the high price of gold.
The one commonality for all these crimes is the suspects are part of South Los Angeles gangs, though no one gang is directing or leading the spree. “We think that the word has gotten around that this is somehow easy money, but I’m here to tell everyone, we’ve put 13 people in jail over the last couple weeks and we’ll keep doing that until they realize the pickings aren’t so easy,” Lt. Vernon warned.
Can you help LAPD find the bad guys? Call Central Detectives at 213-972-1251.
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