Gangs target jewelry stores in smash-and-grab heists

An hour before the Pico Rivera Indoor Swap Meet was to close Thursday night, several young black men ran to a jewelry store near the entrance.

Dressed in hooded sweatshirts and armed only with hammers, the men smashed jewelry cases and quickly fled with an estimated $15,000 in jewelry, most of it gold, witnesses later told Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators.

It was the second such robbery in Pico Rivera in recent weeks and part of a larger regionwide spree, authorities said.

Since at least October, members of black gangs in Los Angeles have been traveling to small and mid-size towns throughout Southern California, robbing largely unprotected jewelry stores and jewelry marts, authorities said.

Towns such as Anaheim, El Monte, Fullerton, Glendale, Huntington Park, Pasadena and Santa Ana,  among others, have reported robberies identical to the one in Pico Rivera in the last three months.

In Los Angeles’ jewelry district, smash-and-grab robberies “have been going on for years,” said Los Angeles Police Department Det. Al Rasch, who investigates robberies in downtown L.A.

“It seems … to be getting more press now because it’s happening in the outlying areas of L.A.,” he said.

It also appears to have become a fashionable crime among South Los Angeles' black gangs. Other departments report arresting members of the Rolling 60s Crips, Project Crips and Denver Lane Crips in the robberies.

One factor is the price of gold. It has climbed as the recession sent investors searching for a safe place to put their money, and now sells for just under $1,400 an ounce.

Another factor is that many suburban stores and jewelry marts don't have much security and aren’t accustomed to these kinds of attacks.

“Most of the places don’t have a security guard. They’re in and out in less than minute,” said Fullerton police Sgt. Mike Chlebowski. Gangs “have realized that, because of the skyrocketing price of gold, that this is easy to do.”

-- Sam Quinones

Comments

[none]

it's actually "Denver Lane Bloods." i dont like it when gang names are used because i fell that it glorifies gang activity, but if you are going to name the gang, might as well name it correctly.

[TB]

For your information there is no such gang called Project Crips and Denver Lane is a blood gang

[commentator]

It is written, do not hoard earthly treasures, where corrosion and moth destroy and where black jewelry thieves break-in to steal; rather, hoard treasures in the kingdom of heaven, where neither corrosion and moth destroy, nor black jewelry thieves break-in to steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will always be.

[dbox]

thanks for the tip !

[uncle_vito]

Unless Obama fixes unemployment this and rioting will happen all the time.

Recommend all citizens buy handguns.

[Joseph D]

It is discrimination to say anything about "blacks" as the criminals. Also keep mum about illegals raping and killing people.

[annie]

commentator and uncle vito, thanks for being so nutty.

[Warren]

Haven't heard much about black gangs since the Mexicans took over.

[thecanimal]

Isn't it racist for the politically correct media to identify the race of suspects?

[Mtnup1]

Thank goodness for racial diversity.

[WD]

"Dressed in hooded sweatshirts and armed only with hammers..."
Armed only with hammers? Really? Sure?

[Gary L Hamontree]

Harsher penalities, more security, those would help. However, a strict adherence to CAPITAL punishment would relieve most crime. We have over the last forty years raised, created, and allowed our country to be held in fear of those that would prey on the decent, honorable portion of the population. We do not need these people in our country. Send them to Elba, if nothing else.

[roy rogers]

Anarchy live and it is coming to your neighborhood soon. Thanks to the new Obama administration we will be seeing more of this as more jobs are being outsourced to India,Pakistan, China, Vietnam.
Only in Amerika!

[Onboard Skeptic]

The "Commentator" might be doing a take off of Samuel L. Jackson in "Pulp Fiction."

[stephesthe]

Roy Rogers: I don't understand--if Obama is responsible for outsourcing won't he have to ensure that all these robberies take place in India, Thailand etc???

[schmendric]

Guess these local jewelry merchants will have to adopt Texas style defensive measures, packing heat. Many a would be robber in that state winds up in the hospital, if he survives.

[commentator]

Hey "onboard skeptic", I literally got my words out of the holy bible, i.e. the Christian Gospels, i.e. Holy Scriptures, i.e. words of Jesus Christ. Read gospel of St. Matthew chapter six, verse 19-21. The sentences and context are exactly the same take off using modern version with colloquial writing and translation. You're totally off the record from suggesting Samuel L Jackson "Pulp Fiction." Not even close! Go, and read the bible!