End of Summer Crime Report: Local Violent Crime Down

Overall, violent crime is down 20 percent in the North Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the latest crime reports.

Arrests are up nearly 20 percent when compared to this time in 2008, burglaries and thefts are down 12 percent and shootings are down 26 percent.

"It's been a fairly mild summer," said Senior Lead Officer for Studio City, Mike Lewis. "Crime is going down this summer, there's a decrease in aggravated assaults and only a slight increase in grand theft auto.  It's indicative of a percentage reduction."

The reduction of serious crimes is also reflected in a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department report issued late last week showing the continuation of a five-year decrease in crime. The sheriff's department gets involved in crimes at unincorporated areas near Studio City, such as Universal Citywalk.

But, serious incidents still happen in and around Studio City.

On Aug. 31, the neighborhoods north and south of U.S. 101 where it goes above Radford St. were awakened at around 4 a.m. when a burnt body was found in a burning car underneath the freeway bridge.

A few days ago, police identified the body in the car as that of 50-year-old Russell Rathert, of Van Nuys. No injuries were found on the body, and the Coroner's Office is awaiting final toxicology reports. Police said there is evidence that Rathert was dead before the fire started. The case has been assigned to the North Hollywood Homicide detectives, and they are awaiting a coroner's determination of a cause of death.

Chiropractor Steve Berglund, who lives and works in the area, told Patch, "I was awakened at 3:55 a.m. by the cops and another cop later advised me I had to evacuate because the car under the freeway has suspicious wires and perhaps a bomb!"

As a precaution, police said the neighborhood in both Studio City and Valley Village were evacuated voluntarily for a short period of the morning.

Also, there is an ongoing investigation involving the shooting on May 24 in the underground garage beneath the California Pizza Kitchen on Ventura Boulevard and Laurelgrove Avenue.

And, then the shocking killing of 34-year-old Chere Osmanhodzic inside a home in the 11500 block of Riverside Drive on July 24. Her fiance, Adam Culvey, said he returned from a store and chased a man coming from the apartment. He said he returned home, and found his fiancé dead and their apartment on fire.

Police have a surveillance tape of two men they are seeking for questioning (see in the videos underneath the photos on the right).

And, friends and family still protest the shooting by law enforcement of 18-year-old Zach Champommier and are awaiting a report about his incident on June 24.

Those high-profile crimes represented a 175 percent increase in homicides from the four by the end of summer last year to 11 in the district this year.

Reported rapes have doubled from four last year to eight this year, and larcenies are up 239 percent for a total of 889 this year.

Robberies, however, are down 14 percent and burglaries are down 24 percent.

Police have made a concerted effort to slow down car break-ins and those were down about by half when compared to last month. Burglaries and stolen vehicles were also down this month. The area south of Magnolia Boulevard was high in car break-ins during April, but has seen a reduction during this past month.

Lewis said, "The major problem continues to be burglary and theft from motor vehicles. On a positive note, we have made a number of arrests recently of suspects who we believe are involved in a number of burglary/theft from motor vehicles."