(May 28, 2006) -- LBPD has arrested a suspect in a crime so brazen that some of our readers didn't believe it actually happened...and LBPD says the suspect allegedly committed at least two other crimes a few days earlier in the same general area east of downtown.
LBReport.com is pleased to report the arrest, the result of a diligent police work by LBPD.
To our knowledge, LBReport.com is the only LB media outlet that reported what happened in and around downtown LB on May 8 starting at roughly 3:30 p.m. in fashionable parts of downtown LB and Bluff Park areas over a period spanning roughly two hours. The events took place in broad daylight during which the victim -- a man in his 70s -- was put in a terrifying situation while unsuspecting people all around him went about their daily routines not realizing what was happening.
Police said the victim parked his car in a parking lot in the area of Cherry and Broadway (near Bixby Park). A suspect carrying a handgun allegedly forced himself into the victim's vehicle, robbed him of personal possessions and forced him to drive to several ATMs where money was withdrawn. The suspect allegedly forced the victim to drive to his residence [700 block East Ocean Blvd.] where the suspect took additional items. They then got back in the car, drove several blocks...and the suspect got out of the car in the downtown area and fled at about 5:30 p.m.
LBPD believes the same suspect was responsible for at least two other crimes in the same general area just days earlier.
LBPD Public Information Officer Nancy Pratt says that on May 1, a victim leaving a bar in the 1700 block of east Broadway went to a parking lot where the suspect befriended him and they left together. The victim reported the suspect pulled out a handgun, stole money, assaulted the victim and dumped him around 10th and Loma Ave.
A few days later on May 5 at about 12:30 a.m., a person getting into a car in the area of Alamitos Ave. and Ocean Blvd. says a suspect got into the passenger side of his vehicle armed with a handgun, stole the victim's wallet and fled on foot.
PD PIO Pratt says that based on their investigations, LBPD Detectives believe all three crimes were committed by the same person. They identified him, obtained an arrest warrant, enlisted the help of their Career Criminal Apprehension Team (CCAT) to find him...and found him in the area of Appelton and Gaviota.
On May 24 at about 3:40 p.m., LBPD arrested LB resident Anthony Overton, 32...and allegedly found a replica handgun in his possession. He's facing residential robbery and multiple kidnapping charges.
LBPD is interested in knowing if there are additional victims attributable to this suspect. If circumstances like the ones described above happened to you or someone you know, call Detective John Mercado in LBPD's Robbery Detail at (562) 570-7464.
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