Bomb Squad Called To LAPD Station In Van Nuys

The Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad responded to its Van Nuys station after finding suspicious items on a suspect they arrested. It started at about 2 p.m. at the intersection of Tyrone Avenue and Sylvan Street. Officers said they were booking the suspect into jail when they searched his belongings and discovered items that could have been used to create a bomb. Shortly after, police asked drivers to avoid the area but cleared the scene a few hours later. 

CBS 2

Stolen Maserati Found Stripped In Downtown LA Homeless Encampment

Hidden under tarps in the middle of a homeless encampment in downtown LA, a stolen Maserati was found -- a rare find even for officers who've seen it all. "We have officers and supervisors that have been here for 20 years and they’ve never seen that. A stolen car being stripped in a homeless encampment; that’s really thinking outside the box, so to speak, for the criminals," said Capt. Raul Jovel, Commanding Officer for the LAPD Central. The luxury vehicle was reportedly stolen on Dec. 11 from a parking lot near the Crypto.com Arena while the driver was at a nearby event. They believe it was taken to the encampment to be stripped for parts. The commanding officer said the vehicle was found with the wheels missing and a lot of the interior components gone. LAPD said at the start of the year, they saw a dramatic spike in auto theft and burglary. In response, they created a task force to catch the criminals responsible. Jovel said it’s rare to find a luxury car in the middle of a homeless encampment, but not uncommon to see criminal activities. "Prostitution, lewd activity, human trafficking, which is really concerning, but also the property-related stuff: car stripping, receiving stolen property, the narcotics use, and selling from tents, huge problem here in downtown," said Jovel.

NBC 4

Suspects Arrested For Series Of Armed Robberies In Los Angeles County

Two suspects were arrested for a series of armed robberies across Los Angeles County. The suspects were identified as Amauje Ferguson, 27, from Nevada, and Charles Christopher, 24, from L.A. by the Los Angeles Police Department. On Dec. 18, around 6:30 a.m., Ferguson entered a convenience store on the 800 block of West Rosecrans Avenue. He allegedly pointed a handgun at the clerk and demanded money from the cash register, police said. On Dec. 20 at 6:30 a.m., Ferguson is accused of robbing another convenience store on the 500 block of West El Segundo Boulevard in the same manner. Arriving officers for the second robbery spotted the Ferguson’s vehicle nearby. He refused to pull over, leading officers on a pursuit. During the chase, he threw out clothing and money from the car windows. Those items were later confirmed to be the money stolen in the robbery and the clothing that was worn by the suspect during the incident. Officers were eventually able to arrest Ferguson after the pursuit ended. Detectives discovered Ferguson was allegedly involved in another robbery on the 5000 block of Wilshire Boulevard just two hours before his arrest.

KTLA 5

Former LA City Councilman Huizar Could Face 13 Years In Prison

Disgraced former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar could face 13 years in prison after he pled guilty in his federal RICO case. Prosecutors also recommended Huizar pay more than $1.3 million in fines and restitution. Earlier this year, the 54-year-old politician, who represented the downtown LA area for 15 years, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and one count of tax evasion. The Department of Justice said Huizar used his elected position to make himself and his friends richer. "Huizar has admitted to orchestrating a racketeering scheme that enriched himself and others as they sought to monopolize political power at the expense of Los Angeles residents," United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in January 2023. Estrada added that this case was "one of the most wide-ranging and brazen public corruption cases uncovered in this district." As part of his plea deal, Huizar admitted he implemented a pay-to-play scheme where he leveraged his office to help real estate developers who helped pay off bribes and other illicit financial benefits. Prosecutors said he and other city officials demanded and accepted cash bribes, casino gaming chips, expensive meals, as well as concert and sporting events tickets. 

CBS 2

Traffic Scofflaws Beware: Speed Cameras Will Go Up Next Year In Los Angeles, Glendale, Long Beach

Speeders better slow down on city streets. Automated speed cameras are expected to ticket drivers later this year throughout Los Angeles, Glendale and Long Beach in a bid to curb the alarming rise of fatal car crashes, in which velocity is often a factor. A new law principally written by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom this year allows the three Southern California cities, along with Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco, to run the five-year camera pilot program around schools, high injury networks — streets with the highest rates of injury and death — and areas known as street-racing corridors. Gruesome collisions have killed more people than nonvehicle homicides in Los Angeles this year, Police Department statistics show. As of Dec. 23, there have been 321 vehicle-related deaths and 323 total homicides, including some of the deaths caused by drivers. Advocates have long argued that street infrastructure such as wide streets made only for cars encourage speed, and that many deaths can be prevented with better enforcement.

Los Angeles Times

Alleged Reckless DUI Suspect Driving Stolen Car Bails On Foot During Pursuit Near Compton

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies were chasing an alleged reckless DUI suspect driving a stolen car near Compton on Thursday. While attempting to elude pursuing deputies, the suspect could be seen driving on the wrong side of the road, swerving around other vehicles and traveling at high speeds on surface streets. At one point, sparks flew out from underneath the vehicle as they sped through an intersection and the car scraped along the road before going airborne. Just after 7:55 p.m., the suspect, while driving on the 710 Freeway, drove underneath an overpass for the eastbound I-105 Freeway where they got out of the car and were able to lose deputies. They could be seen searching the area with SkyCal overhead as they searched the vehicle left behind by the suspect. No arrests have been reported. 

CBS 2

LASD Searching For ‘Armed And Dangerous’ Murder Suspect

Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are asking for the public’s help to locate a homicide suspect who is considered armed and dangerous. Crisanthony Zavala-Guerrero, 21, is wanted for the murder of Michael Carrillo, who was shot and killed on the morning of Oct. 29 on the 44800 block of Fig Avenue in Lancaster. Carrillo was found wounded and rushed to a local hospital where he later died. Zavala-Guerrero has been identified as the suspect in the killing and LASD officials say he is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. He’s described as a Hispanic male standing around 5 feet 7 inches and weighing about 190 pounds. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact LASD Homicide Bureau detectives Lugo or Sanchez by calling 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

KTLA 5

CHP Officers To Deploy For New Year’s Weekend Crackdown

California Highway Patrol officers will be out in force this weekend for the final crackdown of 2023 targeting drunken and drug-impaired motorists in Riverside County. The CHP will initiate its New Year’s “maximum enforcement period” at 6 p.m., when all available officers will deploy to catch impaired motorists, speeders and other traffic violators. The campaign will continue until late Monday night. Officers from the Riverside, Blythe, Indio, San Gorgonio Pass and Temecula CHP stations will be on Inland Empire freeways, highways and unincorporated roads, looking to snare suspects. “Our personnel work through the holidays to help ensure people arrive safely at their destinations,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “The goal is to maintain a safe environment on California’s roads, which is achievable when all motorists make responsible decisions behind the wheel.” The 2022-23 New Year’s MEP netted 570 arrests statewide, compared to 495 arrests during the 2021-22 campaign, according to the CHP.

MyNewsLA

Chicago Transit Violent Crime Down As Police, Security Patrols Increase

The rate of violent crime on CTA trains continued to drop in 2023, years after it spiked when the pandemic emptied trains of many riders. But the violent crime rate still remained above pre-pandemic levels, a Tribune analysis of Chicago police data shows. And certain stations have drawn a heightened focus from the Chicago Police Department and the CTA, officials with both agencies said, as the platforms and trains nearby saw more instances of violent crime than other parts of the CTA system. Still, downticks in both violent and nonviolent crime rates on CTA trains are welcome news for the agency, where ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels and where President Dorval Carter has contended with rider complaints about service, safety and conditions on trains and buses. In recent years Chicago police and the CTA have sent more officers, unarmed security guards and K-9 teams to the train system in an attempt to bring the crime rate down, causing the CTA’s to project it would pay more than double the cost this year that it paid in 2022 for security services. But the perception of safety on the CTA is a key issue for the agency, and whether the crime rate and concerns about crime continue to fall could play a role in ongoing discussions about what the pandemic-era future of Chicago’s public transit should look like.

Chicago Tribune

Wood Burning Ban Now Extended Through Friday

The South Coast AQMD has extended its residential No Burn alert for those living in the South Coast Air Basin, the agency announced Thursday. The initial notice was issued on Christmas Day and was then extended through Thursday. The alert is now slated to expire on Friday, Dec. 29 at 11:59 p.m. No indoor or outdoor burning is allowed in the impacted region, which includes Orange County and non-desert areas in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. The alert also prohibits using manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper, from burning on No-Burn days. “Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems. Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increasing emergency room visits and hospitalizations,” a news release said. The notice doesn’t apply to communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley, High Desert, homes that rely on wood as the main heat source, low-income households, properties without an existing infrastructure for natural gas service within 150 feet of the property line and ceremonial fires.

KTLA 5

Flu, Respiratory And COVID-19 Infections On The Rise Across Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County has seen a notable increase in respiratory illnesses and COVID-19 cases over the past week, according to health officials. "We see it a lot in the wintertime because we're nearby. We're indoors, we're having holidays where lots of people travel and gather," said Providence St. Joseph Medical Center ER Doctor Angelique Campen, "So it makes for the perfect storm of viruses to spread." According to LA County Health, there has been a 25% increase in COVID cases over the last week. While significant, officials say that these numbers remain considerably below last winter's peak. "The ERs are really busy. We're seeing a fair amount of COVID," said Dr. Matthew Waxman, a professor of emergency medicine at UCLA. "The dominant one now is the JN.1 strain which is not causing a ton of hospitalizations in normal healthy people but, it's making people sick." And children are experiencing this spike in sickness too. While not infected with COVID-19, 5-month-old baby Elijah Adaimy is sick with a respiratory virus. "He started with the runny nose. And, then by Saturday it was the cough and congestion so we've been kind of dealing with that," said his mother, Kristine Adaimy.

FOX 11

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.