Rash of robberies hit Little India

By Jerry Bernstein

Little India in Artesia has been hit with a rash of two burglaries and an armed robbery in the past month. In a report to the city council at its meeting Aug. 9, Sgt Graig Knapp with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department said burglars broke into Surati Farsaan Market at 3:14 a.m. on July 28 and made off with two flat screen televisions.
On June 24 Ambala Cash and Carry was also burglarized sometime between 11 p.m. and 10 a.m. on June 24. More than $2,000 in cash was taken. In another incident, three armed men robbed Highglow Jewelers in the early afternoon on July 23, holding a female employee hostage during the robbery. The get away with more than one and a half kilos of gold jewelry valued approximately $35,000. The three fled in a car driven by a fourth suspect.
Sheriff deputies pursued the fleeing men, chasing them into a cul-de-sac in Cerritos. The four then fled on foot, one, which was caught immediately while a second suspect, was apprehended several hours later. Deputies shut down a portion of the 91 Freeway as they searched for the two remaining suspects. A K-9 Sheriff unit was dispatched to find the remaining two who were taken into custody at 7:30 p.m. that evening.
All four were arrested and charged with kidnapping, robbery, evading arrest in a vehicle and assault with a deadly weapon. The four are Bobby White, 20 of Fresno; Corey Harper, 24, of Bellflower; Ronnel Kirks, 20, of South Los Angeles; and Jabarri Pangelinian, 20, also of South Los Angeles. White was also charge with processing a concealed weapon and Kirke charge with a parole violation, all stolen items were recovered.
Councilmember Sally Flowers asked Sgt. Knapp what he thought was the cause in the increase in burglaries. He replied it could be the recession and lack of employment. However, he told the council he didn’t believe this indicated a new wave of crime was happening. Overall crime in the city is down, he said.
In other business the council scheduled a public hearing on a city ordinance updating the city’s entertainment permit requirements, providing for temporary entertainment permit and establishing a reduced business license tax for temporary entertainment uses.
The council denied a variance to Mohammed Shahab Ullah of Long Beach to construct a new two-story single family dwelling for property located at 12231 183rd St. in a single-family residential [R-1] zone
Redevelopment and Planning Director Okina Dor said three variances were requested. They included exceeding the 50per cent lot coverage to 54 percent, provided less than the required 20 ft. front yard setback to 12 ft., and to provide less than the required 10 ft. street side-yard setback to five ft. in order to construct a two story single family dwelling. He said following a public hearing the planning commission voted to deny the variances.
Dor said the applicant was notified the planning department wood recommend denial of the variances. However, Ullah decided to move forward with the original plans and appeal the denial to the city council.
Following the council’s upholding the commission’s recommendation, he said he was willing to change the plans and submit a new one to the planning department.
The council continued a request to its September meeting for a massage parlor permit for Heaven Center at 18403 Pioneer Blvd. At issue were the qualifications of the six massage technicians, specifically if they attended a massage school recognized by the state of California. The council f said the applicant should come back when the massage technicians have received their certificates from a state recognized school.
A request for a conditional use permit by Dae B. Park of Norwalk to operate an acupuncture facility at 17004 Alburtis Ave. was approved by he council.
The council also approved a request for a conditional use permit allowing a warehouse used at 17004 Alburtis Ave. The property is in the Light Manufacturing and industrial [M-1] zone. Planning Director Dor said the structure would house dry goods and other items sold in a market.