In a significant crackdown on gang-related crime, the San Diego Police Department, in collaboration with several law enforcement agencies, has arrested six individuals in connection to a series of burglaries and an extortion racket in Barrio Logan. According to a press release from the San Diego Police Department, the investigation focused on local gang activities that included business threats and demand payment for so-called protection and security services within the 1900-2200 blocks of Logan Ave.
For more than 18 months, shop owners in the close-knit community have faced harassment, with 130 police calls logged, including reports of 18 violent crimes, two of which were murders and 25 property crimes amounting to losses upwards of $100,000. The San Diego Police Department's Gang Unit spearheaded the probe, revealing not only extortion but also assaults in Chicano Park, drug dealings, and illegal weapon possession, all contributing to an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The San Diego police believe more victims have yet to come forward, kept silent by the fear of reprisal. However, the operation has subdued a significant portion of the gang's intimidating grip on the neighborhood. The San Diego Police Department’s Gang Unit at (619) 531-2847 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 remains open for those with any information that could aid the investigation and bring further perpetrators to justice.
