Three crimes occurred within an hour of each other
By TIM MURPHY Special to the Daily Press
Armed robberies seemed to be the theme of the day in Santa Monica last week.
Four armed robberies occurred on Feb. 12, three of which occurred within an hour of each other.
Trouble started at 12:10 a.m. when a woman was held at gun-point while she walked to her car near the 1300 block of 22nd Street near St. John’s Hospital.
Santa Monica police responded to the scene and the victim, a 39-year-old Marina Del Ray resident, reported that she was approached by a man who demanded her back-pack and wallet which contained $80 in cash. The suspect ran north on 22nd Street.
At 9 p.m., robbers wearing black ski masks and scarves made off with $1,000 from a pizza shop on Lincoln Boulevard. Police said two large men held Ameci Pizza employees at gunpoint while demanding that they open the cash register. After grabbing the cash, the suspects, described as black males about 6’ tall, fled on foot.
A half hour later, two Beverly Hills residents were held at gun-point while walking near the beach.
The victims, a 21-year-old female and a 20-year-old male, told police that they were approached by the suspect near the 1400 block of the beach. After showing the couple his gun, the suspect demanded their wallet and purse, wrist watch and black leather jacket.
Twenty minutes later, police responded to the 1500 block of the beach, where a man, believed to be the same suspect in the earlier robbery, held a 30-year-old Oxnard woman at gunpoint. He displayed the gun and demanded her money. The value of the lost items is unknown.
The suspect is described as a black male between the age of 20 and 23 and roughly 5’8” tall. He was wearing a black hooded jacket and black baggy pants.
None of the victims were harmed physically in any of the incidents. That’s probably because they gave up their belongings, a strategy recommended by police.
Santa Monica Police Lt. Frank Fabrega advises that victims of armed robbery should “comply with the perpetrators, then call the police afterwards.”
It’s advice that could save your life, he added.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 21, 2002. Read the original PDF.