Long Beach police investigating string of armed carjackings
Long Beach police are investigating a string of armed carjackings that occurred over the span of a week in North Long Beach.
Detectives say that the first reported instance came at about 8 p.m. on April 28, when three men are said to have stolen a car at gunpoint in the 5500 block of Ackerfield Avenue. They say that a person was getting out of their car when they were approached by the three male suspects, one of which was armed with a gun.
They had their keys and other belongings stolen before the suspects drove away in the stolen car.
One shot was reportedly fired into the air during this instance.
The next night, on Apr. 29, officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Jackson Street at around 2:20 p.m., after learning that a woman was carjacked in the area. They learned that she was approached by three suspects, all male, when she stopped to pick up a friend at the location, police said.
One of the men allegedly reached in through one of the front windows and pointed a gun at her while the two others pulled her out of the car before driving away, with the friend still inside.
There was no further information provided on the person inside the car at the time of the theft.
The latest instance occurred late Friday evening, at around 9 p.m., when police were again dispatched for reports of a carjacking. Upon their arrival, in the 2600 block of 55th Way, they learned that a man was unloading his vehicle when three suspects approached him and demanded his keys, one of which was armed with a handgun. They again drove away from the scene before law enforcement's arrival.
As they continue to investigate the incidents, LBPD promises that they will increase the presence of patrols in the area.
There was no information provided on any of the suspects.