by Mark McDermott
Two armed robberies occurred only a few hours apart on late June 16 and early June 17, the first on the Strand at 6th Street at 9:24 p.m. and the second on the Manhattan Beach Pier at 1 a.m.
According to the Manhattan Beach Police Department, the victims of the armed robberies were unharmed but the perpetrators were reported to have taken the victims’ purses, phones, cash, and other belongings. No arrests have yet been made and MBPD is actively investigating the crimes.
City leaders expressed concerns beyond the robberies themselves, but also in the fact that no warning was issued immediately after the incidents occurred. Typically, when there is a threat to public safety, such as a pattern of armed robberies, the City communicates a warning to the community as soon as possible through various social media, including Alert South Bay, lnstagram, and Facebook. In this instance, that did not occur.
“We did not communicate these two incidents properly, which is not acceptable,” said MBPD Chief Rachel Johnson. “The responsibility for communication begins and ends with me and I take full responsibility for our lapse. I am grateful that the guns were not used and that the victims escaped physical harm that evening.”
Johnson said that a review of procedures is underway to ensure a lapse in immediate reporting would not happen again.
Chief Johnson is currently evaluating MBPD’s policies to ensure that transparent and timely information is provided to the community as quickly as possible when an incident occurs.
“MBPD takes pride in being a transparent department that respects the importance of sharing as much information with Manhattan Beach residents as possible,” she said. “We have learned from these incidents and will make sure our practices improve, beginning today.”
The mayor and City Council were also not noticed of the incidents in what the City described in a press release as “a timely manner.” Mayor Richard Montgomery met with Johnson and members of the community last week regarding the incident and what can be improved in MBPD communication. He also released a statement expressing disappointment and promising improvement.
In response to these incidents, Mayor Richard Montgomery held a meeting with Police Chief Rachel Johnson and initiated the development of a revised plan to improve communication and information dissemination to the public when crimes and other relevant incidents occur in Manhattan Beach.
Additionally, Mayor Montgomery sat with community members on June 27, seeking their feedback and suggestions. He also consulted with fellow City Council members and the City Manager to address measures aimed at preventing similar problems in the future.
“Any lapse in communication is unacceptable, especially in matters of public safety,” Montgomery said. “As Mayor, I am embarrassed and disappointed by this communication lapse….I, along with the City Manager, take responsibility for the communication failures in this incident, and we are determined to improve our procedures to deliver better outcomes in the future, ensuring that MBPD remains the top police department in the South Bay.”
Rosecrans robbery
Another armed robbery was reported on July 2 that included some unusual behavior on the part of the alleged perpetrator.
Police received a report of a robbery that occurred on the 300 block of Rosecrans Avenue at 11:30 p.m. The victim told police that he was walking east on Rosecrans Avenue when a male approached him and brandished a silver handgun. The suspect told the victim he was being robbed. According to the police report, the victim told the suspect he did not have money, only a cell phone and an ATM card. The suspect told the victim to get into his vehicle and drove the victim to an ATM. The victim withdrew money for the suspect, who then drove the victim back to the 300 block of Rosecrans Avenue and let him out of the vehicle. The suspect kept the money and the victim’s cell phone. The suspect was apologetic to the victim and told the victim he had “bills to pay” and would return his cell phone to him tomorrow. The victim provided the suspect with his Instagram handle so they could be in touch.
Anyone with information or surveillance cameras in the 300 block of Rosecrans Avenue is asked to contact Detective Seth Hartnell at 310-802-5127. The suspect wore a black hooded sweatshirt and drove a four-door dark sedan. Det. Hartness is also investigating the other two armed robberies and is likewise seeking anyone with information. ER
