Tag: Beverly Hills

Gun Sales Soar as Crime Waves Hit LA

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—A gun store owner in Beverly Hills is seeing a growing number of customers lately—from celebrities to university students—who are terrified by the increase of crime in the area. Elias Chalhub, owner of Bear Arms Defense, said his shop stays busy from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. “It’s been a steady…


LAPD Task Force Arrests Four Men on Murder, Robbery Charges

LOS ANGELES—Three men face murder and robbery charges and a fourth faces a robbery charge in connection with a spate of follow-home robberies that have plagued the city in recent weeks, police said Dec. 24. A Los Angeles Police Department task force on follow-home robberies, with assistance from a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) SWAT unit and Beverly…


Ex-Weight-Loss Doctor Found Guilty in Lap-Band Trial in LA

LOS ANGELES—The operator of the now-defunct 1-800-GET-THIN ad campaign and a Beverly Hills-based company he controlled were found guilty Dec. 16 of using fabricated sleep studies to persuade insurance companies to pay out tens of millions of dollars for Lap-Band surgery. Julian Omidi, 53, of West Hollywood, and Surgery Center Management (SCM) were found guilty…


Beverly Hills Firefighters Sue Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—Two Beverly Hills firefighters and a nonprofit group are suing Los Angeles County and the city of Beverly Hills, alleging the county’s health care worker coronavirus vaccination mandate should be declared void and that the city has no authority to question religious exemptions to the mandate. The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit was…


Beverly Hills Firefighter Refuses to Comply with Vaccine Mandate for Religious Reasons, Relieved of Duty Without Pay

For 11 years, including during the initial days of the COVID-19 outbreak, Josh Sattley served the community of Beverly Hills as a Firefighter and Paramedic. Now, because he refused to comply with a vaccine mandate for religious reasons, Sattley has been relieved of duty without pay. The Health Care Worker Vaccine Requirement Order (pdf) took…


Man Charged With Killing Jacqueline Avant

LOS ANGELES—A Los Angeles man was charged Dec. 6 with murder and other counts stemming from the shooting of Jacqueline Avant, the wife of music executive Clarence Avant, during a robbery at the couple’s Trousdale Estates home in Beverly Hills. Aariel Maynor, 29, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at the Airport Branch courthouse on one count each of…


Beverly Hills Police Add Security Guards to Combat Crime Wave

Beverly Hills Police Department hired security officers and increased officer patrols Dec. 6 following a rash of retail burglaries and the murder of a well-known philanthropist. Private armed and unarmed security guards were added to the department to patrol the business district and to guard infrastructure, according to Beverly Hills police Lt. Robert Maycott. “It’s…


Beverly Hills Increases Police Presence Amid Rising Crime

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—Beverly Hills is adding more police and security officers to its streets amid a spike in crime that has residents on edge. Five new officers are joining the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) on Dec. 6, and the city will be deploying additional armed, private Covered-Six security officers for street patrols. Beverly Hills and Los Angeles…


Suspect in Custody in Connection with Jacqueline Avant Slaying

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—A 29-year-old Los Angeles man was behind bars Nov. 2 in connection with the slaying of Jacqueline Avant, wife of music executive Clarence Avant, during an apparent break-in at the couple’s home in Beverly Hills. Aariel Maynor was arrested about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday following an unrelated burglary in the 6000 block of Graciosa Drive…


Wife of Beverly Hills Music Icon Killed in Home Invasion

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—Philanthropist Jackie Avant, the wife of famed music executive Clarence Avant, was killed early Dec. 1 during a home invasion in Beverly Hills. The motives in the case were still unknown and police have not yet identified any suspects. “We will not speculate on anything that’s out there, including if this was a…