West Valley OIS

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, August 16, 1999
Beginning in January 1999, a pattern of crimes occurred where multiple suspects entered various travel agencies throughout the Los Angeles County area and committed armed robberies. In these occurrences, the suspects, who were all armed, would enter the travel agency and commit "take down" robberies. In these robberies, the suspects used various handguns and robbed the victims of their valuables. Also taken in the robberies were airline tickets and blank travel vouchers. Robbery Homicide Division, robbery detectives were assigned to the investigation.

On August 14, 1999, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Detective Support Division, Special Investigation Section Detectives were conducting a surveillance of four suspects, driving two vehicles. The detectives observed one male suspect exit a vehicle and enter a multi-unit business structure in the 17000 block of Chatsworth Street in Chatsworth. A short time later, that suspect exited the building and had a conversation with the suspects in the other vehicle. Those two suspects then entered the business structure, and after exiting, both vehicles fled the location, followed by detectives.

As the detectives continued their surveillance of the suspects, they were alerted by a radio broadcast that an armed robbery had occurred at the Fly Moon Travel Agency, located in the 17000 Chatsworth Street.

Detectives followed one of the suspect’s vehicles to the 19400 block of Hatton Street. As the detectives attempted to take the suspects into custody, the suspects refused to surrender and attempted to arm themselves with weapons. In fear of their lives, an officer involved shooting occurred, resulting in both suspects being fatally wounded.

The suspects in the second vehicle were taken into custody without incident, along with four additional suspects who attempted to flee the location. The suspects were all booked for robbery.

It was later determined that during the robbery the suspects obtained airline tickets, vouchers and the employees’ personal property. A semi-automatic pistol and the stolen property were later recovered inside the suspects’ vehicle.

Robbery Homicide Division detectives are conducting the investigation.

Prepared by Lieutenant Sharyn Buck, Officer-in-Charge, Media Relations Section.

For Release 1:00 pm PDT
August 16, 1999