Police: Uptick in Crime in Venice

There's been an uptick in crime recently in Venice with the vast majority being burglaries and petty thefts, police said.

Los Angeles Police Department Senior Lead Officer Peggy Thusing informed the Venice Neighborhood Council during its April 17 meeting of the crime statistics covering Venice Beach, Oakwood and Marina del Rey areas from March 20 to April 17.

There were 15 aggravated assaults, 100 burglary thefts from vehicles (about 70 percent unlocked), 55 grand theft auto, 91 residential burglaries, four grand theft person, two rapes and 134 petty thefts, Thusing said.

"We need people to lock their homes and their cars," Thusing said.

She said there's been an increase in the number of so-called "knock-knock" robberies in which robbers knock on the door to see if anyone's home. If the residence is empty, they break in and have been stealing laptops and jewelry, Thusing said.

Thusing also mentioned the recent increase in iPhone thefts.

The curfew on Ocean Front Walk has been working well and officers have seen a decrease in the amount of time spent there, Thusing said. She declined to comment on 3rd Avenue near Rose Avenue, which has been a homeless encampment since the enforcement of the boardwalk ordinance.