Long Beach police say a 19-year-old local man is behind a quick-hit series of chain-snatching robberies that rattled one neighborhood last month. Detectives believe the same suspect pulled off three grab-and-run jewelry thefts along the Martin Luther King Avenue corridor in a single day, and officers have booked him on robbery and weapons charges. The case is now in the hands of prosecutors, and investigators are urging anyone who thinks they might have been targeted to speak up.
Arrest and booking
Robbery detectives identified the suspect as Anthony Stevens, a 19-year-old Long Beach resident. He was arrested in the city on Tuesday and taken to City Jail, where officers booked him on suspicion of robbery and possession of a loaded firearm. His bail was set at $250,000, and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s online inmate records show he posted bond and was released on Thursday, according to Patch.
Detectives seek more victims
Investigators say they believe Stevens is connected to three chain-snatching robberies that all happened on the same day last month in the Martin Luther King Avenue area. The case has been presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration, and detectives are asking anyone who may have been victimized to contact non-emergency dispatch at (562) 435-6711 or the LBPD Robbery Detail at (562) 570-7464, according to NBC Los Angeles.
How to stay safe
Police are reminding residents to keep valuable jewelry out of sight when possible, stay alert to what is happening around them, and stick to walking in groups or in well-lit areas. Anyone with information who wants to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES).
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