OFFICER Maria Gray
Senior Lead Officer for Basic Car 8A13, Brentwood Area
Los Angeles Police Department
West Los Angeles Division
(310) 444-0744
February 23, 2018
I heard something interesting recently in our recent Crime Control Meeting and I wanted to share it with you too. I’ve learned that approximately one-third of our robberies that occur in the West LA Area, are committed by juveniles… One-third!
For a long time now, we’ve all been concerned and locked in on the threat of south-end gang members coming into our area to commit ‘Knock-Knock’ type of burglaries. We’ve talked about what to look for in terms of rental cars and/or paper plates, etc. But we also must keep in mind that a good percentage of the criminals that plague our area are juveniles, often on foot or on a bike.
So that group of kids you saw walking through the neighborhood late at night with their skateboards may in fact be the same group of kids that are throwing rocks at windows to get to the purse or car keys that they can see on the entrance table to your home. While this is considered a burglary and not a robbery (robbery involves force or fear as an element of the crime) I say all this as just a reminder to folks to not get locked in on a particular description or M.O.
When you’re coming home late at night from the restaurant or movie and you see kids on the street, you can call the non-emergency dispatch at 877-ask-lapd to get a unit to come into the area and check them out. And LOOK at them. And let them know they are being looked at and watched. Hit your high beams. Drive slowly past. And be a good witness for the communications operator when she takes your call.
All the best, Maria