FBI: Southern California bank robberies fall to three-decade low

The number of bank robberies in Southern California continued its steady decline in 2011, reaching a three-decade low, federal law enforcement officials said Thursday.

Law enforcement agencies responded to 287 bank robberies in seven counties -- Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernarndino, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo -- the FBI said in a statement.

Most of the robberies took place in Los Angeles County (122), followed by Orange County (67).

Of the total, 34 were takeover robberies, in which suspects took hostages during the crime.

Last year's total fell from 303 robberies in 2010 and is a far cry from the record set in 1992, when there were more than 2,600 robberies in the seven-county area, the FBI said.

It appears the pace has picked up some in 2012; there were 40 bank robberies in the region in January, mostly in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties.

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-- Rick Rojas