Rash of Violent Cell Phone Thefts in WeHo Last Week

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Below is the weekly crime report from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station that calls out incidents in WeHo from March 27 to April 2. The list also includes each case number.

March 27

Armed Robbery 600 block Kings Road at 11:45 p.m. A woman was walking on the sidewalk when a man approached her armed with a knife and demanded her cell phone. The victim complied and the suspect ran to an awaiting vehicle and fled the area. Loss $500 (phone). #01563

Armed Robbery Cynthia Avenue / Hammond Avenue at 10:20 p.m. A man was walking southboud on Hammond Avenue wearing headphones and holding his phone when a man approached him armed with a knife and demanded his phone. The victim complied and the suspect ran to an awaiting vehicle and fled the area. Loss $1,000 (Phone). #01564

Strong Arm Robbery. Rugby Drive / Westmount Drive at 9:50 p.m. A woman was walking westbound on Rugby Drive when a man approached her from behind and demanded her phone. The victim complied and the suspect fled the area on foot. The victim waited one hour to report the incident and was uncooperative and unable to give additional details. Loss $600 (Phone). #01565

Armed Robbery (Attempt). 1100 block Hayworth Avenue at 10:50 p.m. A man was walking southbound on Hayworth when a man approached him from behind armed with a knife and demanded his cell phone. The victim screamed for help and the suspect ran to an awaiting vehicle and fled the area. No loss. #01567

Vehicle Burglary. 7900 block Romaine Street between March 27 and 29. An unknown suspect ransacked the interior and removed sunglasses, a leather pouch and change from the center console and clothing and newly obtained license plates for the vehicle from the trunk. Loss $700. #01595

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March 28

Grand Theft. 7100 block Santa Monica Boulevard at 8:55 p.m. Four women removed makeup from the shelves and left the store without payment. Loss $1,800. #01602

March 29

Strong Arm Robbery (Suspects arrested). 1100 block Formosa Avenue at 1:45 a.m. Deputies responded to a vehicle collision on Formosa Avenue. Subsequent investigation revealed the occupants of the vehicle committed a strong arm robbery at Orange Drive/Hollywood Boulevard prior to the vehicle collision. A cell phone was taken from the victim during the robbery. The cell phone was recovered and three suspects were arrested. #01576

Strong Arm Robbery. Santa Monica Boulevard/ Formosa Avenue at 6 p.m. A woman entered a store and removed an employee’s cell phone. The victim tracked the cell phone and confronted the suspect on the street near Santa Monica Boulevard and Formosa. The suspect began to drive away and the victim jumped on the hood of the vehicle. The suspect drove erratically in an attempt to throw the victim off the hood. The victim fell off the vehicle and received minor injuries. The suspect fled the area in the vehicle. #01596

March 30

Vehicle Burglary. 1000 block North La Brea Avenue between at 11:40 p.m. and midnight. An unknown suspect smashed the rear passenger’s side window and removed a backpack containing a laptop, jewelry, and phone charger from the back seat. Loss $2,300. #01618

Vehicle Burglary. 1000 block North La Brea Avenue between 11:40 p.m. and midnight. An unknown suspect smashed the rear passenger’s side window and removed a backpack containing a laptop, cash, cell phone charger and driver’s license from the backseat. Loss $1,400. #01620

Vehicle Burglary. 800 block Westbourne Drive between 10 p.m. and 12:45 a.m. An unknown suspect smashed the front passenger’s side window and removed a blanket from the front seat. Loss $320. #01622

March 31

Grand Theft Beverly Boulevard / Robertson Boulevard between 1:15 and 3 p.m. An unknown suspect removed a tote bag, bracelet and medication from the interior of the unlocked vehicle. Loss $1,400. #01676

Strong Arm Robbery (suspects arrested). 8500 block Santa Monica Boulevard at 12:40 p.m. Two men entered a business and requested fake nails. After the nails were applied, both suspects ran from the location without paying. An employee chased after the men and tried to detain them but he was pushed away. Deputies responded, located and arrested both suspects. Loss $80. #01629

April 1

Vehicle Burglary. San Vicente Boulevard / Santa Monica Boulevard
between 9 and 11 p.m. An unknown suspect smashed the front passenger’s side window and removed a backpack from the front seat. The backpack belonged to the victim’s boyfriend and she was unsure what was inside the backpack when it was taken. Loss $330. #01677

April 2

Aggravated Assault – Hands, Fist, Feet. 8800 block Santa Monica Boulevard at 1:30 am. A man was punched in the face several times by another man during an argument outside of the club. #01680

Aggravated Assault – Other Weapon (suspect arrested). 8800 block Santa Monica Boulevard at 7:20 p.m. A security guard was hit in the head with a beer bottle by a woman. The suspect was upset that her friend was asked to leave the club due to unruly behavior. The suspect was arrested. #01696

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Elle
Elle
7 years ago

Bacon – that’s a great idea. These robberies happen multiple times a month, and the robbers strike multiple times (almost always at least twice) in the same general area over the course of a night — it should definitely be doable. These robbers are obviously not concerned they’ll get caught (and for good reason — for street robberies like this, I rarely hear of them ever getting caught). When I first moved to WeHo and started reading the crime reports, I was aware of the risk and sure enough, two years ago I was robbed while walking on my block… Read more »

Bacon
Bacon
7 years ago

What would it take to run a nighttime sting to stop these pedestrian robberies? If an undercover cop walked around pretending to be on their phone, he or she would be robbed in no time. Why can’t we do that?

Michael
Michael
7 years ago

Having eye-witnessed two armed robberies while walking my dog on the same block within 11 months, it got to a point where I wouldn’t leave my house without arming myself in West Hollywood. I took a defensive handgun course and pledged I would defend myself should I become victimized by the commonplace street violence that is so prevalent here. That’s why I moved out of this cesspool after living in WeHo over 30 years. Now I actually feel safe when I walk my dog. How refreshing!

Heads Up!
Heads Up!
7 years ago

Heads Up! Folks that walk day or night with their nose in a phone are asking for trouble. Either being hit by a car or being hit for your phone. All these thefts were at night in the dark. Not so bright to NOT be alert and walk with a purpose at that hour. An instant target. Beyond the phone loss, it could be worse.

Scott
Scott
7 years ago

Gee, all these very similar robberies, yet no description of the suspect!? Hmmm, why not just call the suspect a “person”? It’s even more vague than the report tries to be. As a male, I feel offended that even the gender is reported!!! Gives men a bad name! LOL
If you’re not going to describe the suspects, then why even report the crime? It’s not doing anyone any good.