San Fernando Valley Businesses Plagued by String of Robberies

Los Angeles: During the past year, the San Fernando Valley has been plagued by a series of armed commercial robberies.  This series of robberies consists of three or four groups of bandits.
The trends and patterns involving these teams are similar in the fact that the suspects are armed, masked and target carefully selected businesses.  The majority of the businesses that have been attacked are restaurants, bars and small businesses.
These groups, which appear to be independent of each other, have worked in groups of one to four suspects.  It is evident that they carefully select and case potential target locations prior to committing the robbery.  These groups are active seven days a week and operate during the late evening hours.
To date, these groups are responsible for approximately one hundred robberies, two assaults that resulted in life threatening injuries and one homicide that occurred during a robbery of a restaurant in Devonshire Area. 
The homicide committed by these suspects, the potential for serious injury and the property loss of approximately $100,000, which includes money, jewelry and other property taken, makes these suspects extremely dangerous.
The various groups of robbery crews, although similar in their method of operation, vary in racial composition and physical description.
For the purpose of identification, suspects are divided into four groups:
GROUP 1
Male White, 6’0″/6’2″, 170/200 lbs., 20/25 years old
Male White, 5’8″/6’0″, 160/170 lbs., 20/30 years old
Male Hispanic or light complected Black, 6’0″/6’2″, 210 lbs, 25/35 years old
GROUP 2
Male Black, black hair, brown eyes, 6’0″/6’3″, 200/230 lbs., 20/25 years old, light complected
Female White or Hispanic (driver-lookout)
 
GROUP 3
Male Black, black hair, brown eyes, 5’9″, 220 lbs., 25 years old
Male Hispanic or White, 6’2″, 180 lbs., 25/30 years old
Male Black, 5’7″, 140 lbs., 20/25 years old
GROUP 4
Male Black, black hair, brown eyes, 5’6″/5’9″, 150/180 lbs., 25/35 years old
Unknown Driver
The Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division, with the assistance of officers and detectives from Operations-Valley Bureau, the FBI and the private industry have launched an extensive and exhaustive investigation in an effort to identify and arrest these suspects.
In an effort to enhance this investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and arresting these violent criminals.
On May 20, 2005 at 9:25 p.m., during a robbery at the Chao Thai Restaurant, a homicide was committed.  Under the leadership of Councilmember Jack Weiss , from the 5th District, approval for a $50,000 reward from the City Council is being sought for information leading to the arrest and conviction of these violent criminals.
Anyone with information about any of the robberies is asked to contact Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-485-2511. On weekends and during off-hours, call the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).