Teens' cell phones lure thieves

[T4TUNES]

AS IF IT'S NEW NEWS. HAWTHORNE TO SAN PEDRO IS INFESTED WITH MEXICANS.
LOOK AT L.A.s MOST WANTED. GET THE PICTURE? THEY SAY THEY COME HERE TO MAKE A BETTER LIVING. YEAH RIGHT.

[South Bay Mom]

I will not be going to the South Bay Galleria anymore! I used to make a point of shopping there before kids got let out of school and never during summer break to avoid all of the thuggish kids.

I always feel like I have to be super cautious while I shop with my small children and make sure I am not a robbery victim. It isn't worth it. I'll shop online or go to another mall. That area just isn't safe.

[kma]

First, the goons are missing the most lucrative market in the South Bay. Second, you would think that after three robberies his parents would get smart and buy him a cheap, phone-only phone!

[Gardenamale]

Cell phones are not a necessity so why do we have pre-teens with cell phones? Many are going to say in today's age its important to have one but that doesnt mean buy them an iphone or sidekick, buy them a cheap phone that works.

It's obvious the more expensive cell phones, and any other electronic devices become, the more lucrative for thieves.

[DEVOTED MJ FAN]

Nancy wrote:

Gee, low-income area with teens running around with $500.00 phones.$500.00 can feed my family for a month or more. I can barely afford the $50.00 phone I have. Where are the priorities? And, why let it happen 3 or more times. Keep it at home or don't get another one.

It's just that we refuse to be intimidated by the lowlife who threaten decent society.
I will continue to have a cell phone if i please, & no one is going to make me afraid to do so.
$50.00 phone OMG!
Does it work on the network?

[DEVOTED MJ FAN]

StayAtHomeMom wrote:

GPS on cell phone's to catch the thug's and make their parent's pay BIG TIME !

$5.00 a month cover 4 phones, not too bad.
Very wise investment if you ask me, but then priorities vary in individuals.

[R U KIDDING ME]

Illegals are Illegal wrote:

<quoted text>
Id say with Drug money and the cash they get of people outside check cashing places that buy food stamps. Some cell phone company, offer "credits" to "low income" families, same for the internet call verizon, or the likes, there are all kinds of allowances made. Problem is, they dont really require any proof, and they even send you a sheet with a chart, showing more much you can make and get the services, so people just claim less. Its a shame.
I think we need welfare reform, before health care, but thats just me.

Maybe, now just maybe, they work for a living & obviously some of the hater's that cannot afford such luxuries as a cell phone for their kids are just a little jealous, and then here's the thing that should piss you off a little bit more..they could be US citizens, because not only white people were born here.

[WoW]

Everyone is up in arms as though this is some sort of a new phenomenon. There is nothing new here. It doesn't just happen in areas like Hawthorne, Lennox, the L.A. city strip or San Pedro. This is happening everywhere. It's not just cell phones.... It's digital cameras, iPods, and other Mp3 audio and video devices. It's happening in the streets regardless of neighborhoods and in a local school near you every day. What is the common thread? It's people leaving property unattended only to return and find property gone. When a person is robbed and or otherwise mugged for his / her property, the victim is usually walking alone and not paying attention. They are almost always outnumbered by the perps.

[billy the builder]

WoW wrote:

Everyone is up in arms as though this is some sort of a new phenomenon. There is nothing new here. It doesn't just happen in areas like Hawthorne, Lennox, the L.A. city strip or San Pedro. This is happening everywhere. It's not just cell phones.... It's digital cameras, iPods, and other Mp3 audio and video devices. It's happening in the streets regardless of neighborhoods and in a local school near you every day. What is the common thread? It's people leaving property unattended only to return and find property gone. When a person is robbed and or otherwise mugged for his / her property, the victim is usually walking alone and not paying attention. They are almost always outnumbered by the perps.

You make some very good points of observation but, you also make it sound like it is the victims fault. With school out and kids left on their own without supervision and usually no moral training there will be this type of easy crime. Have you ever had a gun put in your face? It won't matter how many people are with you or how many are around you, you will give up whatever the perp wants to save your life. I want all of us to be outraged by this type of crime. It is an outrageous crime for little children and adults as well to go through this type of crime. I don't care what color or what address a person has THIS IS A BAD THING> We all should be MAD AS HELL about all of these crimes. Conditioning and getting use to this will only make it worse. I am red in the face mad about it. How about the rest of you?

[GARDENA STUDENT]

I was one on the bus stop that had a gun put in my face and my phone (actually it was my friend's phone) was taken. I needed to call home. Scary! It took time for me to catch a bus again!! But the crazy thing about it was that my mom was dropping me off at school and she got pulled over by the school police for having tinted windows and was given a ticket or whatever it was. He was one that would stalk parents dropping off their kids at school instead of protecting us kids! Anyways, the robber was eventualy caught. He was a student at El Camino College!!

[Smart Kids]

Military wrote:

haha the US needs to redesign their cities to mock irvine, and we gotta start deportation of these illegals.
They are taking over.
deploy the army on the u.s. Mexico border and give Boeing a contract to build a nationals border defense system like south korea.

How do you know they are illegals you imbecile? Ignorant people like you sucking on the welfare tit have nothing better to say. Go back to your trailer you white trash.

[WoW]

billy the builder wrote:

<quoted text>You make some very good points of observation but, you also make it sound like it is the victims fault. With school out and kids left on their own without supervision and usually no moral training there will be this type of easy crime. Have you ever had a gun put in your face? It won't matter how many people are with you or how many are around you, you will give up whatever the perp wants to save your life. I want all of us to be outraged by this type of crime. It is an outrageous crime for little children and adults as well to go through this type of crime. I don't care what color or what address a person has THIS IS A BAD THING> We all should be MAD AS HELL about all of these crimes. Conditioning and getting use to this will only make it worse. I am red in the face mad about it. How about the rest of you?

I did not say it was the fault of the victim. I say hold the criminals accountable, but as citizens, we need to hold ourselves accountable also. Don't leave something unattended and expect it to be there when you go to retrieve it. If you're walking talking on the phone and or listening to your iPod, be aware of your surroundings. Walk in a group.... bad guys do not like a bunch of witnesses.

[WoW]

GARDENA STUDENT wrote:

I was one on the bus stop that had a gun put in my face and my phone (actually it was my friend's phone) was taken. I needed to call home. Scary! It took time for me to catch a bus again!! But the crazy thing about it was that my mom was dropping me off at school and she got pulled over by the school police for having tinted windows and was given a ticket or whatever it was. He was one that would stalk parents dropping off their kids at school instead of protecting us kids! Anyways, the robber was eventualy caught. He was a student at El Camino College!!

Come on now...... Stalking? Sounds like you have an axe to grind.

[GARDENA STUDENT]

WoW wrote:

<quoted text>
Come on now...... Stalking? Sounds like you have an axe to grind.

SMH...no axe to grind here...just telling it like it is. Stalking may have been too strong of a word to use but after many complaints to the school, I haven't seen that policeman anymore.

[billy the builder]

WoW wrote:

<quoted text>
I did not say it was the fault of the victim. I say hold the criminals accountable, but as citizens, we need to hold ourselves accountable also. Don't leave something unattended and expect it to be there when you go to retrieve it. If you're walking talking on the phone and or listening to your iPod, be aware of your surroundings. Walk in a group.... bad guys do not like a bunch of witnesses.

You are right, bad guys are chickens to begin with and a crowd is sort of a deterrent, and being aware also is a good deterrent but, these kids didn't leave anything unattended. They were ROBBED with a weapon and strongarmed. In my neighborhood these kids were playing football in the street and a stolen van pulled up and two guys got out with a gun and a knife and demanded either their life or their phones ipods and imp3's. Everything that you suggest will help but it is not a guantee. We shouldn't have to live in fear in our country. We should be harder on these little bas...ds and throw the book at them. Give all of them the hardest sentences and make the parents pay for their kids behavior. Money always talks louder than you and I could scream at the top of our voices. You and I are on the same track. No debate here from me.

[mike b]

after reading comments here at the daily breeze for a few weeks....

WOW

All i have to say is the people who run the Daily Breeze should be really proud. It has the most ignorant and racist following I've ever witnessed. Probably because they write articles too soon, especially those involving criminal acts. Not saying the criminals in this article arent worthy of tremendous punishment. But from the very first comment, you people responding don't help in ANY WAY with your hispanic and black comments and it's a shame you get to hide your identity, names, locations etc behind a keyboard. Enabling you to be your true self. Because man, I'd like to know everyone one of you racist mother funkers and watch you burn

Wow.

[WoW]

billy the builder wrote:

<quoted text>You are right, bad guys are chickens to begin with and a crowd is sort of a deterrent, and being aware also is a good deterrent but, these kids didn't leave anything unattended. They were ROBBED with a weapon and strongarmed. In my neighborhood these kids were playing football in the street and a stolen van pulled up and two guys got out with a gun and a knife and demanded either their life or their phones ipods and imp3's. Everything that you suggest will help but it is not a guantee. We shouldn't have to live in fear in our country. We should be harder on these little bas...ds and throw the book at them. Give all of them the hardest sentences and make the parents pay for their kids behavior. Money always talks louder than you and I could scream at the top of our voices. You and I are on the same track. No debate here from me.

Yep: In a perfect world, we wouldnt have to live in fear of these little $h!the@d$. But this is not a perfect world now is it? When I mentioned victims leaving property unattended, I did not say that it happened this way in this daily breeze report. I just mentioned it as another way that property has been taken when the victim was not jumped / robbed either strongarmed or armed. All I said was that since we do not live in a perfect world, we still have to pay more attention to our surroundings. Is that going to stop these attacks? Not all of them, but it is a start. Again, what I said was that these crimes happen everywhere..... Not just in the places that were mentioned in the DB report. If someone wants your stuff bad enough, they are going to take it from you regardless of your neighborhood.