This report references two subjects: The first is Monday’s incident is an armored car robbery with high-powered assault rifles in Los Angeles, and the other, a type of bullet that could soon be available on the open market. Criminals increasingly have access to increasing firepower due to globalization, improved technology and the lowering prices of weapons and ammunition. In addition, as the gang problem intensifies nationwide, Police1 warns that officers may increasingly see gang members with more firepower and better weaponry, possibly in areas that have not traditionally seen heavily-armed criminals.
Armored Car Ambush in LA
At least five men armed with high-powered assault rifles ambushed an armored car behind a busy South Los Angeles bank Monday morning, killing a guard and making off with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.
The suspects fired more than 50 rounds in a gun battle with one of the armored-truck guards before fleeing in a light-colored van. Moments after the shooting, two uninjured guards rushed their bleeding colleague to Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in their armored truck, colliding with a car en route and injuring its driver, police said.
The wounded guard died a few hours later. The suspects remain at large despite the efforts of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Officials said they were concerned by the overwhelming force of the attack. Some compared it with the 1997 North Hollywood shootout in which officers engaged two heavily armed bank robbers.
“The firepower made it like a mini-North Hollywood shooting,” LAPD Capt. Al Michelena said. On Monday, video surveillance systems at the bank may have captured images of the gunmen, who were not masked, Michelena said.
According to Michelena, the suspects laid in wait for the Armored Transport Inc. truck before it began delivering cash to the Bank of America branch at West 87th Street and South Western Avenue. About 10:45 a.m., as one of the truck’s three guards was unloading the cash, the suspects unleashed a torrent of bullets that pockmarked surrounding buildings and caused workers and patrons inside the bank to hit the floor in panic. Suarez was struck six or seven times, authorities said. The suspects took some of the money and fled.
LAPD and FBI officials said it was unclear whether the gunmen had been involved in any other bank robberies. Michelena said they might be professional bank robbers or members of L.A.-area street gangs, many of which have begun specializing in bank robberies in recent years. The suspects should be considered armed and highly dangerous, said Officer Jason Lee, an LAPD spokesman. Anyone with information may call LAPD detectives at (213) 485-0780, or (877) LAWFULL.
New Bullet on the Market:
A Detective from the Arizona Department of Public Safety has warned Police1 of a bullet now available that was introduced at the 2004 Shot Show in Las Vegas.
He calls it the “most destructive bullet he has ever seen”. The bullet is made by a company called Le Mas, Ldt. Representatives were handing out a CD-ROM that showed live tissue tests on bullet calibers from 9mm, .45, .223 and .308. The presentation also showed bullets fired against, and defeating Level 3A body armor and steel armor. In the soft armor tests, the vest used had a “Police” moniker still on it. Although the ammo was labeled “Law Enforcement and Military Only”, it was shown in the case next to commercial ammo.
Officers should be aware that ammo of this type, from a number of manufacturers, is increasingly available both domestically, as well as overseas, where laws are not as strict as in the U.S.
Police1 reminds officers to always wear your ballistic vests, and to be aware that this type of threat is out there.
