Category Archives: Robberies

Feb. 24, 1908

Posted on February 24, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, the first paparazzi … With a headline in dialect, no less … Below, a nighttime intruder doesn’t suspect the woman of the home sleeps with a .32 under her pillow … 19 African Americans are arrested in a raid … Continue reading →

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Family held hostage

Posted on February 14, 2008 by lmharnisch

Feb. 12-March 29, 1958 Los Angeles They were such nice boys. Real gentlemen. Having them around the apartment was just like company, except for the guns. They said they weren't guilty of burglarizing that drugstore. They just couldn't prove it … Continue reading →

Posted in Robberies | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Feb. 13, 1908

Posted on February 13, 2008 by lmharnisch

  The grand jury investigates gambling in Los Angeles … A determined federal agent captures his quarry after a long chase … The amusing tale of a plug hat … A USC medical student files a lawsuit charging that he … Continue reading →

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Last Hope

Posted on February 12, 2008 by lmharnisch

  Because adult characters never appear in "Peanuts," many comics readers may wonder what Charles Schulz’s grownups looked like. Here’s a sample from a short-lived cartoon strip carried in the Mirror.   Feb. 8, 1958 Los Angeles James Charles Hope, … Continue reading →

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Robber kills self

Posted on January 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

Here’s a headline that says: "Read Me":"Cornered and Bullet-Riddled, Bandit Blows His Brains Out." I stumbled across this while researching the mysterious noise mentioned in Matt Weinstock’s column and it’s too good not to share. This is quite a story … Continue reading →

Posted in Homicide, LAPD, Robberies, Suicide | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Streetcar holdup

Posted on January 12, 2008 by lmharnisch

Jan. 12, 1908Los Angeles Streetcars robberies, although not everyday occurrences, were a regular risk 100 years ago on our sainted mass-transit system. In this instance, a passenger grabbed the bandit as he was holding two guns to the conductor’s head … Continue reading →

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Our lawless city

Posted on January 1, 2008 by lmharnisch

<p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p>lapd_crime_stats</p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p> Los Angeles Police Department Crime Statistics Offense 1956 1957 Increase/Decrease Homicide 104 119 +14.4% Rape 1,056 1,271 +20.4% Robbery 3,548 4,269 +20.3% Aggravated Assault 5,315 5,786 +8.9% Burglary 22,799 26,887 +17.9 Larceny (Except Auto Theft) 45,276 50,173 +10.8% Auto … Continue reading →

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Heroic dog update

Posted on December 11, 2007 by lmharnisch

No, I don’t know anything further about Baron the German shepherd, but I do have more information about Nyals A. Andreason, thanks to a reader. According to an online obituary, Nyals graduated from Brigham Young University and was a computer … Continue reading →

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December 11, 1957: Heroic dog shot

Posted on December 11, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 11, 1957Los Angeles This began as a story about a dog and ended in death. On Dec. 10, 1957, a gunman shot a German shepherd named Baron that had been ordered to attack as the robber was leaving … Continue reading →

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Woman kills robber

Posted on November 28, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Nov. 28, 1957 Los Angeles The last bad decision in James B. Burton’s 42 years of bad decisions was to light a cigarette. Because to light the cigarette, he had to put down his gun.  Of course he had … Continue reading →

Posted in Homicide, LAPD, Robberies | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

End of watch

Posted on October 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

    Oct. 13-23, 1957 Los Angeles Woody and Eddy’s should have been an easy job for two old pros just out of the joint: Sit around and have a drink or two until the place closes and nearly everybody … Continue reading →

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Strangled

Posted on October 1, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 1957 Los Angeles It’s almost 3 a.m. and we’re parked on 134th Street between Water Way and Central Avenue in Compton. In two years, there will be houses all along the north side of the street. … Continue reading →

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Mystery photo solved

Posted on October 1, 2007 by lmharnisch

The correct answer is Caryl Whittier Chessman. A very impressive showing by Duane Laible. I didn’t expect anyone to guess so quickly.    Meet the boy bandit gang, which terrorized Los Angeles with a string of robberies and shootings in … Continue reading →

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Spanish blood

Posted on August 1, 2007 by lmharnisch

Aug. 1, 1957Los Angeles Maybe it’s heat, maybe it’s the smog (what would be a Stage 3 alert today), but The Times is full of odd crime news. A rabid 2-year-old fox terrier mix went on a rampage starting at … Continue reading →

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Random queries

Posted on July 30, 2007 by lmharnisch

The hits for the Daily Mirror blog show that someone is researching the Feb. 13, 1969, robbery of the Bank of America at 3320 S. Hill. Here’s your answer: The Times wrote very little about the case, although police killed … Continue reading →

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CSI–2007

Posted on July 24, 2007 by lmharnisch

I had the good fortune to attend the first day of the International Assn. for Identification convention in San Diego yesterday and although most of the sessions are focused on new technologies, I was there to talk about the past, … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, books, Crime and Courts, Current Affairs, Homicide, LAPD, Robberies, Science | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on CSI–2007

Melchior robbers caught

Posted on June 22, 2007 by lmharnisch

June 22, 1957 Los Angeles  Wayne Burke, Richard McFall and Alfred J. Pope fled into the night in what they thought was a clean getaway. McFall said: “Burke and I got in my car and J. [Pope] took furs and … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1957, LAPD, Robberies, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mulholland robbery

Posted on June 18, 2007 by lmharnisch

June 19, 1957 Los Angeles Meet Louis Spivak, a hard-luck guy if there ever was one. The whole thing started and ended with him. Spivak, the brother of musician Charlie Spivak, had been in the joint at Folsom and transferred … Continue reading →

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Officer-Involved Shooting

Posted on April 8, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 8, 1957 Los Angeles  By Larry Harnisch Off-duty Police Officer Dallas W. Walters, 32, was leaving a Wilmington liquor store at 2 a.m. after visiting the clerk when two young gunmen stepped from the shadows at 1109 W. B … Continue reading →

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