In one year, LA police arrested over 120 people in connection with follow-home robberies
LOS ANGELES - In one year, since the creation of LAPD's Follow Home Task Force in November 2021, over 120 arrests have been made and over 320 cases have been investigated.
Follow-home robberies became a growing crime trend in 2021. A suspect, or group of suspects, would follow the victim from a restaurant or store to their home where they would then rob them of their expensive watches or jewelry. According to LAPD, these robberies occurred mainly in the Hollywood and Wilshire areas.
Due to the alarming increase in these types of crimes, the Los Angeles Police Department created a task force consisting of 16 detectives.
From November 2021 to December 1, 2022, the task force identified328 follow-home robberies and arrested 122 people.
Of the 122 arrests, five included murder, nine for attempted murder, 88 for robbery, and various other charges. According to a statement from police, the LA County District Attorney’s office added gun enhancements on the violent armed robberies.
Within a year, police say they've seen a 77% decrease in follow-home robberies.
"Last year in November, prior to the FHTF, there were a total of 39 incidents. In November of this year, nine incidents have occurred, which is a decrease of 77%. In addition, during the last quarter of 2021 there were 91 incidents. This past quarter, there have been 33 incidents, which is a 64% reduction," the police department said in a statement.
In the month of December, there has been only one reported case.
The police department warns people to be aware of their surroundings for anything unusual and to report anything they see.