Page 2 February 18, 2016 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Police Reports Robbery 2/6/2016 10:15:00 PM 2400 BLOCK SEPULVEDA BLVD Suspect enters open business, brandishes a handgun and demands property/cash Vandalism 2/6/2016 10:00 PM 17900 BLOCK HAWTHORNE BLVD Suspect(s) smashes victim’s vehicle’s headlights, taillights, mirror and damages a hubcap Robbery-Weapon 2/6/2016 4:51 PM 3500 BLOCK CARSON ST Suspect brandishes handgun and demands victim’s property/wallet Burglary-Auto 2/6/2016 3:00:00 PM 16700 BLOCK YUKON AVE Suspect(s) enters possibly unlocked vehicle, ransacks and takes property/ remote, insurance, jewelry Vandalism 2/6/2016 1:25 PM 22600 BLOCK HAWTHORNE BLVD Suspect(s) intentionally smashes windows of business/no entry, no loss Burglary-Auto 2/6/2016 12:53:53 PM 21200 BLOCK WESTERN AVE Suspect(s) removes vehicle’s front grill and takes property/vehicle battery Auto Theft 2/6/2016 10:00:00 AM 21800 BLOCK HAWTHORNE BLVD Stolen vehicle: ‘96 Honda Civic Burglary-Auto 2/5/2016 9:00:00 PM 600 BLOCK AMAPOLA AVE Suspect(s) enters vehicle by unknown means and takes property/ wallet, sunglasses, gift cards, trailer hitch Theft 2/5/2016 5:30:00 PM 21200 BLOCK WESTERN AVE Suspect(s) takes property off of parked vehicle/ wheels, tires Burglary-Auto 2/5/2016 3:00:00 PM 22600 BLOCK BENNER AVE Suspect(s) enters unlocked vehicle and takes property/GPS, cell phone Theft 2/5/2016 12:00:00 PM 20800 BLOCK EARL ST Suspect(s) takes property from victim’s bed/ wallet Theft 2/5/2016 9:00:00 AM 3800 BLOCK 180TH PL Suspect(s) takes victim’s vehicle’s catalytic converter Vandalism 2/5/2016 8:35:00 AM 23700 BLOCK WESTERN AVE Suspect(s) intentionally smashes multiple residence windows Theft 2/4/2016 8:38 PM 21400 BLOCK HAWTHORNE BLVD Suspect(s) takes property from table as victims dine/ cell phones, case, IDs, bank cards, purse, jewelry, cash Theft 2/4/2016 6:30:00 PM 4100 BLOCK 173RD PL Suspect(s) takes victim’s vehicle’s catalytic converter Burglary-Auto 2/4/2016 4:00:00 PM 3000 BLOCK SEPULVEDA BLVD Suspect(s) enters unlocked vehicle and takes property/wallet, jacket, keys Battery-Simple 2/4/2016 4:00:00 PM SENIOR DAYS FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2016 $.99 cent games $.99 cent shoe rental $2.99 lunch specials MONDAY – FRIDAY 9:00 AM THROUGH 5:00 PM For more information please call Charlotte at charlotte@pvbowl.com; or 310.326.5120 23700 BLOCK WESTERN AVE Suspect pokes victim and punches her in the arm Burglary-Auto 2/4/2016 2:30:00 PM 4200 BLOCK REDONDO BEACH BLVD Suspect(s) enters vehicle by unknown means and takes property/ tablet Auto Theft 2/4/2016 2:26 PM 16600 BLOCK OGRAM AVE Stolen vehicle: ‘02 Mitsubishi Lancer Burglary-Auto 2/4/2016 4:45:00 AM 3400 BLOCK 227TH ST Suspect(s) enters unlocked vehicle and takes property/cash Burglary-Auto 2/3/2016 11:45:00 PM 22300 BLOCK SUSANA AVE Suspect(s) enters unlocked vehicle and takes property/pocket knives, cash Burglary-Auto 2/3/2016 11:00:00 PM 3400 BLOCK 227TH ST Suspect(s) punches door lock for entry and takes property/cash Burglary-Auto 2/3/2016 11:00:00 PM 3500 BLOCK TORRANCE BLVD Suspect(s) takes property from bed of truck/ scuba equipment Burglary-Auto 2/3/2016 10:00:00 PM 3400 BLOCK 227TH ST Suspect(s) enters vehicle by unknown means, ransacks and takes property/ projector, speakers, bag, sunglasses, cord, bags of chips Burglary-Auto 2/3/2016 9:00:00 PM 22700 BLOCK NADINE CIR Suspect(s) enters unlocked vehicle, ransacks and takes property/ cash Vandalism 2/3/2016 8:21 PM 22000 BLOCK HAWTHORNE BLVD Suspect pushes register and computer off of customer service desk, causing damage Burglary-Auto 2/3/2016 3:27:00 PM 23000 BLOCK CRENSHAW BLVD Suspect(s) smashes window for entry and takes property/bag, laptop Theft 2/3/2016 3:20:00 20400 BLOCK VICTOR ST Suspect(s) defeats lock and takes property/ bicycle Auto Theft 2/3/2016 12:30:00 PM 3500 BLOCK CARSON ST Stolen vehicle: ‘07 Chevrolet P/U Auto Theft 2/2/2016 10:18 PM 3500 BLOCK CARSON ST Stolen vehicle: ‘07 Cadillac Escalade Auto Thef 2/2/2016 8:00:00 PM 1700 BLOCK LINCOLN AVE Stolen vehicle: ‘87 Mitsubishi P/U Burglary-Auto 2/2/2016 8:00:00 PM 2200 BLOCK SEPULVEDA BLVD Suspect(s) smashes window for entry and takes property/backpack, books W2, 10-99 Burglary-Auto 2/2/2016 6:46 PM 200 BLOCK PALOS VERDES BLVD Suspect(s) enters unlocked vehicle, ransacks and takes property/ cash Burglary-Auto 2/2/2016 12:40:00 PM 25300 BLOCK CRENSHAW BLVD Suspect(s) enters vehicle by unknown means and takes property/ bag, laptop, folder, cash • The Economy You See and the One You Don’t By Rob McCarthy Los Angeles County’s chief economist sees strong evidence that Southern California’s economy has rebounded from the abyss of the Great Recession and predicts more bounce through 2016. Figures and projections from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation all point to a sustained rebound in employment, household buying power, housing prices, and an influx of venture capital needed for business startups. Chief economist Robert Kleinhenz presented the upwardly trending data to business and community leaders at the LAEDC’s annual economic forecast and industry outlook yesterday in downtown Los Angeles. “Los Angeles County has seen steady improvement over the past three years, a pattern that should continue through 2016. Long-standing segments of the economy have experienced solid job gains,” according to LAEDC’s 2016-2020 outlook report. “Wage gains are expected over the next year across many occupations, especially those with the greatest number of job openings.” The Economy You See Underlying data and numbers from state, local and trade groups about Los Angeles County’s visible economy show: -- Significant job growth: Nearly 100,000 jobs added last year and the same number of new jobs expected in 2016. “With a 2.5% average annual increase during the first part of 2015, the county has consistently outpaced the nation in job growth,” Kleinhenz and his team reported in their 2016 outlook. -- Falling unemployment: California currently has 5.8% unemployment, and Los Angeles County’s diversified economy is leading the state in job creation and low unemployment. “Most major industries added jobs throughout the first part of (2015). The county economy benefited from broad-based growth which pushed wage and salary jobs to a record high, surpassing the county’s pre-recession employment peak,” LAEDC said. “Mining and logging was the only major industry to post a significant percentage decrease in jobs … while both the manufacturing and finance and insurance sectors experienced only slight declines.” -- Rising incomes: Personal income increased by 4.2% in 2014, and was expected to grow at the same rate in 2015 and 2016. “With negligible inflation this year, households will experience significant gains in purchasing power” of 3.5% this year and 3.8% in 2017, Kleinhenz and his team said. “Since much of the gain in income is expected to be spent, local consumption as measured by total taxable sales will rise by 4.6% this year and by 7.9% next year, following an increase of 7.1% in 2014.” -- Housing: The housing market saw a bounce in 2015. The median sales price of a home in Los Angeles County was $492,000 in July, up 4.7% compared with a year earlier. Home sales increased 9.6% year-to-date through the first seven months of this year. Affordability went unchanged, with only 30% of Los Angeles County households able to afford to buy a home. -- Emerging industries: Los Angeles County/ Orange County region was the third largest recipient of venture capital in the nation last year at $3.1 billion, the LAEDC reported in its 2016-2020 forecast. It found the leading recipients of venture capital funds were software and IT services, medical devices, media/entertainment, and industrial/energy. “Parts of Los Angeles County have become noteworthy for IT and online innovation, notably the I-405 Corridor from the Westside to the South Bay and Pasadena,” Kleinhenz’s team found. The Economy You Don’t See California’s economy is larger than reported because businesses that cheat on wages and payroll taxes don’t show up in government statistics or economic forecasts. Called the underground economy, this multi-billion-dollar network of businesses underreport payroll and sales tax, don’t pay the minimum wage or overtime, and often don’t provide their employees with basic workplace protections against injury. “The underground economy exposes workers to dangerous job conditions and financial abuse,” according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. The department regularly sends out a task force of agents to uncover and cite those businesses operating illegally in state. The state’s underground economy is estimated at $10 billion per year. Authorities admit that’s a best-guess estimate, based on unpaid business and personal taxes. Car washes, restaurants, manufacturing, roofing, construction, auto repair and agriculture are considered high-risk industries. Agents with the Labor Enforcement Task Force targets those industries most often. The underground economy victimizes employees who stay quiet out of fear of losing their jobs and incomes. Employers operating illegally pay wages in cash and keep their actual number of employees off the books, lowering their workers’ compensation premiums. This creates unfair competition and hurts legitimate businesses that pay fair wages and overtime, sales and income taxes, and that maintain adequate insurance. The task force last year inspected two South Bay businesses last year, according to department records. Someone called a hotline to complain about a Torrance construction business, which was inspected and not cited. A Torrance automotive business was visited, too, and not cited. Los Angeles County, with a $1 trillion economy, drew 169 inspections last year. Agents reportedly found 95 percent of businesses they checked were out of compliance with the law. Restaurants, garment factories, manufacturing, car washes and automotive businesses were cited and fined the most. Agents found violations in those businesses 100 percent of the time. An inspection at one Los Angeles garment factory led to citations for exposing workers to finger and hand amputations. The employees installed rivets onto pants using a machine with an exposed flywheel and no safety guards, the task force reported. Agents also cited the factory for failing to carry workers’ compensation, not paying minimum wage or overtime and not providing workers with an itemized wage statement. Misclassification of employees as independent contractors is a huge problem in the state. California estimates it loses $7 billion a year in payroll taxes because employers underreport staffing. Five women who worked for a San Francisco house-cleaning business turned in their boss in October for not paying overtime and for making them skip lunches and rest breaks. The Labor Commissioner’s office uncovered numerous violations and ordered the house-cleaning business to pay nearly $50,000 in back wages to the five women. Labor Commissioner Julie Su fined the business $17,384 in an enforcement order announced Feb. 10. Reports of labor law and other violations by businesses suspected in the underground economy can be made by calling 855-297-5322 or emailing LETF@dir.ca.gov. California’s whistleblower laws protect employees who report suspected illegal activities in the workplace. • Visit us online: www.heraldpublications.com
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