Armed Robber Leads Police On Chase To Beverly Center

LOS ANGELES, CA — An armed robbery suspect led police on a foot chase into the Beverly Shopping Center after robbing a person at gunpoint Thursday afternoon.

Los Angeles police arrested the suspect shortly before 2 p.m. as he exited the parking structure on San Vicente Boulevard, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Matthew Cruz.

The chase began at about 1:11 p.m. at Beverly and La Cienega boulevards where officers responded to a report of an armed robbery, said Cruz. A gunman had robbed a person of their watch outside a nearby hotel, he said.

When officers arrived and found the suspect, he fled on foot but was eventually taken into custody on suspicion of armed robbery, Cruz said.

See Also:

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The brazen daytime robbery was one of at least three similar robberies across Los Angeles County over the last 48 hours.

Three people were arrested in Los Angeles Thursday in connection with a violent robbery the night before in Beverly Hills. In that case, three robbers attacked a man walking in the 9600 block of Wilshire Boulevard, injuring him and stealing his watch, according to police.

Another watch robbery occurred Tuesday on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, where a man was pistol-whipped and robbed of his Rolex watch by two suspects.

The robberies are part of a violent trend in Los Angeles County. Authorities created a task force to confront the issue. Authorities believe the robberies are organized crime — the work of Southland gang members targeting and following home people spotted wearing expensive jewelry or watches worth upwards of $100,000.