LOS ANGELES, Calif.–A silver Cadillac circling a downtown jewelry store with its license plate covered was stopped, and two men and three teenage boys inside were arrested, police said today.
The arrests near Sixth Street and Broadway were made Monday, Los Angeles police Lt. Paul Vernon said.
A jeweler called police and reported the seeing the car round the block three times in five minutes, Vernon said.
“The jewelry merchants are alert to (a) spree of smash-and-grab robberies,” Vernon said.
Responding officers spotted the Cadillac and noticed its license plate was covered, he said. Police made a traffic stop and searched the car, finding a hammer, gloves, a large canister of pepper spray and a pillow case, Vernon said.
Jabril Greene, 24, and Makrice Leonard, 18, were booked for conspiracy to commit robbery, and each was held on $50,000 bail.
Two teenagers were being held at Eastlake Juvenile Hall, and the third was released to his parents, Vernon said.
One suspect had a bandage wrapped around his hand, and police believe he might have been involved in a June 22 robbery at 21st Century Jewelry, during which a suspect punched through a glass display case, Vernon said.
