Police asked for help Monday identifying suspects accused in a series of robberies along the Melrose corridor, including one caught on video on Fairfax Avenue last month.
The Jan. 30 robbery happened about 4 p.m. in the 700 block of North Vista Street, near Melrose Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
The 700 block of North Vista Street is two blocks south of the West Hollywood border, which is at Willoughby Avenue.
Video circulated by LAPD shows two men exit a white car and tackle another man on the sidewalk. Police said the victim had been shopping at nearby stores, and the suspects who assaulted him took his property, including a Rolex watch.
The suspects then left in the white car.
Since that day, the department said armed robberies at shopping and dining spots in the Mid-City area along the Melrose corridor have increased, noting seven that have happened since Jan. 30 involving Rolex watches.
“Many of these robberies are taking place during daytime hours,” LAPD said. “The suspects have targeted individuals wearing high-end jewelry, specifically Rolex watches.”
The suspects, described as black men between 20 and 30 years old, may follow victims as they stop at restaurants and stores, according to police.
“In most instances, the suspects wait for victims to walk to their vehicles and reach an isolated area before they attack them at gunpoint,” LAPD said.
The department asked anyone with information on the incidents to call Robbery Detective S. Villatoro at 213-922-8217.
