The Democrat mayor of Eagle Pass, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a>, said that his constituents have faced robberies and home invasions as illegal immigrants continue to flood over the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/southern-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">southern border</a>. 
Mayor Rolando Salinas <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/21/eagle-pass-mayor-warns-of-migrant-chaos-engulfing-city/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post on Thursday that he expected his city of 28,500 to absorb between 4,000-9,000 illegal immigrants in the next several days, a number which would be on top of the thousands who have already crossed into and through the city. According to the Post, roughly 11,500 illegal immigrants have already crossed into Eagle Pass over the last 10 days. 
He said that he had “never seen people cross like this” before and that there needed to be consequences for illegally coming into the U.S. 
“If they’re going to come, they must enter through the port of entry. I know people are desperate, but this is a nation of laws,” he said. “Our cops are overwhelmed. Our firefighters are responding to calls for care for migrants. We don’t have the resources to handle this.”
In recent days, videos from the border show streams of foreign nationals crossing into the U.S., with many coming in through Eagle Pass, where the Biden administration has <a href="https://twitter.com/gregabbott_tx/status/1704614936218149361?s=46&amp;t=XGiUuNPiSLBSXsXhdarMAQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">been accused</a> of cutting down razor wire put up by Texas to deter crossings.
Valeria Wheeler, executive director of the Mission Border Hope Center in Eagle Pass, said that the influx of illegal immigrants had brought a lot of single men and an increase in violence. 
“Mostly, we are seeing single men. From Sunday to Wednesday, we had six incidents of violence in the shelter – shoving, shouting, hitting our staff. These people rode a train to get here,” she told the Post. “They are deeply in survival mode. They’re here now, and they still haven’t come off of that. They’re very defensive. We’ve never had violence before.”
City officials hope a new law allowing troopers to arrest people for trespassing on city property will help and Salinas has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-officials-cut-razor-wire-on-southern-border-opening-the-floodgates-to-illegal-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared a state of emergency</a> over the crisis. 
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Biden <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/09/20/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-takes-new-actions-increase-border#:~:text=Temporary%20Protection%20for%20those%20Already%20in%20the%20US.&amp;text=TPS%20provides%20temporary%20protection%20from,authorization%20for%20eligible%20Venezuelan%20nationals." target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> Wednesday that an additional 800 National Guard troops would be sent to the southern border to help with “logistics and other functions at the border” as Customs and Border Protection struggle to deal with the influx.
Illegal crossings at the southern border have remained high throughout the Biden administration and have again <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-border-numbers-near-all-time-high" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approached record numbers</a>. Much of the Biden administration’s approach has involved processing and releasing large numbers of illegal immigrants into the U.S. with distant court dates.

Migrant Crossings At Southern Border Increase As Title 42 Policy Expires

Texas Mayor Warns Of Robberies, Home Invasions As City Flooded With Illegal Immigrants

Crime

Home invasion

Illegal Immigration

Politics

Robbery

Southern Border

Texas

Yet another smash-and-grab robbery in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/los-angeles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles</a> area on Tuesday saw a band of thieves make off with half a million dollars in jewelry, the store&#8217;s owner said.
Samuel Babikian, owner of Jewels on Lake in Pasadena just north of Los Angeles, was <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/pasadena-smash-and-grab-jewelry-store" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left distraught</a> after he said a group of robbers came into his store and pepper sprayed him before absconding with about $500,000 worth of merchandise.
Pasadena police responded to a call about the incident around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Police said they were told four men in ski masks robbed the jewelry store. The attackers fled in a white vehicle, police <a href="https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2023/08/29/masked-robbers-pepper-spray-pasadena-jewelry-store-owner-and-employee-during-500000-heist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
So far, police have not announced any arrests in connection with the robbery, and the investigation is ongoing.
The store owner said the pepper spray briefly blinded him and gave him breathing issues, so he was unable to give a detailed description of the attackers.
Babikian said he has owned the jewelry store for more than 40 years.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t even know what I would do tomorrow morning,&#8221; an emotional Babikian <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/pasadena-smash-and-grab-jewelry-store" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox 11.
The Los Angeles area has been battling a string of organized retail thefts characterized by large groups of robbers ransacking stores together.
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Late last month, police <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/california-jewelry-store-smash-grab-robbers-snatched-900000-merchandise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> another group of masked thieves stole $900,000 worth of merchandise from a jewelry store in Irvine just south of Los Angeles and Glendale.
Earlier this month, a mob of up to 50 people in hoodies and masks <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/08/14/1193726286/smash-and-grab-mob-criminals-nordstrom-los-angeles-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stole</a> up to $300,000 in luxury merchandise from a Nordstrom in Los Angeles. The thieves also attacked security guards with bear mace.
Three weeks ago, another group of 30 to 40 thieves robbed a Yves Saint Laurent store in southern California in broad daylight, absconding with an estimated $300,000 worth of merchandise, police said. The brazen smash-and-grab robbery was caught on video just before 5 p.m. The store is located at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale, just north of Los Angeles.
<a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/video-shows-wild-scene-at-americana-as-thieves-ransack-yves-saint-laurent-store/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Footage</a> from the Yves Saint Laurent incident shows over a dozen people mostly dressed in dark clothes, hoods, and masks dashing into the store and running out again, their arms full of the expensive merchandise.
In response to the string of robberies, Los Angeles launched a new task force focused on combatting organized retail theft.
Last week, the new task force <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-crime-task-force-arrests-11-linked-to-smash-and-grab-robberies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> 11 people in connection with the recent smash-and-grab robberies, included some who were allegedly involved in the Nordstrom and Yves Saint Laurent store robberies.
Detectives on the new task force are investigating at least nine cases involving organized retail crimes.
In Los Angeles, most types of violent crime are down except theft, which is up 15% to over 20,000 thefts compared to this time last year, <a href="https://lapdonlinestrgeacc.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/lapdonlinemedia/cityprof.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to police data.
Since the fall of 2021, Los Angeles County, which includes Pasadena where the jewelry store robbery occurred, has seen at least 170 organized retail thefts, including the smash-and-grab trend, <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crime/los-angeles-moves-crack-down-retail-theft-epidemic-task-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
Other West Coast cities have seen a spike in retail theft this year as well, including San Francisco and Seattle.

TOPSHOT-US-ATTACKS-NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY

Another California Smash-And-Grab Sees Thieves Make Off With Half A Million Dollars In Jewelry

California

Los Angeles

U.S.

A television news crew reporting on a string of robberies in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a> became the criminals&#8217; next target Monday morning.
A Univision Chicago reporter and photographer were robbed at gunpoint by three men in ski masks around 5 a.m. Monday in the city&#8217;s West Town neighborhood, the Chicago Tribune <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-chicago-tv-news-crew-robbed-20230828-nm6dm6kzabcwbmprlfyyd77cz4-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The Spanish language network said the thieves mostly took personal items along with a camera.
“We don’t want to make the story about us, because there were other robberies that occurred within that same period,” said Luis Godinez, the vice president of news at Univision Chicago.
The thieves approached them after driving up in a gray sedan and black SUV and demanded money from the journalists before going through their SUV and taking the camera, a backpack, and two bags of equipment, according to Raza Siddiqui, president of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians Local 41, the Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2023/8/28/23850057/chicago-tv-news-crew-robbed-at-gunpoint-while-reporting-on-armed-robberies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The suspects then fled in the vehicles after stealing the items. Police identified the victims as a 28-year-old man and a 42-year-old man.
The journalists were working on a story about a string of robberies that have affected the West Town neighborhood, but the footage they captured Monday morning never aired since it was taken on a camera that was stolen, Godinez said. No one was injured during the robbery and police have so far not placed anyone in custody for the crime.
“They’re OK,” Godinez said of his employees, adding, “we’re working on it together as a team.”
Earlier this month, another Chicago journalist was assaulted and robbed in the West Town neighborhood while preparing to report on an afternoon update for WLS-TV. That assault and robbery prompted union president Siddiqui to warn people about the threats reporters and photographers face on the streets.
“Our news photographers and reporters provide a very important public service in keeping our community informed,” Siddiqui said, according to the Tribune. “We are committed to making sure that their safety comes first. We have talked to the photographer who was robbed today and he is thankfully safe and in good spirits.”
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Chicago saw a spike in crime shortly after electing its new mayor Brandon Johnson in May. Vehicle thefts jumped 153%, aggravated battery was up 17%, and burglary rose 12% in June, <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/crime-spikes-38-in-chicago-during-brandon-johnsons-first-month-in-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Washington Examiner. Johnson is focusing his energy on fighting the rise in vehicle theft by suing car companies Kia and Hyundai, alleging that their vehicles lack the appropriate anti-theft measures, Fox 32 <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/brandon-johnson-kia-lawsuit-car-thefts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;The impact of car theft on Chicago residents can be deeply destabilizing, particularly for low- to middle-income workers who have fewer options for getting to work and taking care of their families,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install basic auto-theft prevention technology in these models is sheer negligence, and as a result, a citywide and nationwide crime spree around automobile theft has been unfolding right before our eyes.&#8221;

Chicago Police

Chicago News Crew Robbed At Gunpoint While Reporting On Robberies

Chicago

Journalism

Police

On August 28, 2003, 46-year-old pizza delivery man Brian Wells walked into a PNC bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, with a massive metal collar around his neck, covered by a T-shirt. He gave the teller a multi-page rambling note demanding $250,000 in cash.
While Wells was waiting for the money, he grabbed a lollipop from a bowl on the teller’s desk and leaned on a cane, which was later determined to be a working gun disguised as a cane. The bank didn’t have $250,000 lying around, so Wells was only able to walk out with a bag stuffed with less than $9,000. Witnesses would later say he walked out of the bank swinging the cane and didn’t seem fearful or nervous at all.
Outside, Wells attempted to follow directions that would allow him to remove the collar around his neck, which he had told bank employees was wired to a bomb. Wells was barely out of the bank a few minutes before police surrounded him and placed him in handcuffs.
<div id="attachment_610009" style="width: 422px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-610009" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-610009" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/070216_pizza_vmed_4p-412x576.webp" alt="In this photo released Sept. 17, 2005, by the FBI, Brian Wells, 46, of Erie, Pa., carries a plastic bag of cash after robbing the PNC Bank in Summit Towne Centre in Erie on Aug. 28, 2003. Wells is shown sucking on a lollipop inside the bank, wearing a collar bomb and carrying a cane-shaped firearm.AP" width="412" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/070216_pizza_vmed_4p-412x576.webp 412w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/070216_pizza_vmed_4p-215x300.webp 215w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/070216_pizza_vmed_4p-768x1073.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/070216_pizza_vmed_4p-1100x1536.webp 1100w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/070216_pizza_vmed_4p.webp 1240w" sizes="(max-width: 412px) 100vw, 412px" />Credit: CCTV. AP.</div>
While sitting cross-legged on pavement, Wells told the police officers that he had a bomb around his neck that would explode.
&#8220;Why isn&#8217;t anybody trying to get this thing off me?&#8221; he asked them.
Soon, a beeping could be heard from the collar, and Wells became more desperate for help. Not long after, the bomb exploded, killing Wells instantly.
The images of that day have not been forgotten, and while we know who was behind the bank heist plot, one question remains to this day: Why was no one ever held responsible for Wells’ death?
The answer surely comes from the law enforcement’s determination that Wells was a co-conspirator in the plot and, subsequently, his own death. But that raises a similar question: Why, after all that we now know, is Wells still considered a co-conspirator?
His family certainly insists that he could not have been part of the plot. His sister, Jean Heid, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/08/05/pizza.bomb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN in 2011 that her brother was “innocent 100 percent.”
&#8220;They screwed up big time,&#8221; Heid said, referring to the officers present went Wells died. &#8220;They let an innocent man, my brother, die while in their custody and they didn&#8217;t even lift a finger to help him.”
&#8220;This case is going to be looked at for years to come, and they don&#8217;t want it known that they screwed up,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Brian never would have done this.&#8221;
The evidence that Wells was involved in the plot has always been shaky. The main person who claimed Wells was in on the whole thing was Kenneth Barnes, a convicted crack dealer who was convicted for playing a role in the bank heist. Barnes had every reason to lie about Wells. If Wells was involved, then Barnes and the other co-conspirators couldn’t be charged with his murder, which could have landed them on death row. Barnes was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the bomb plot, but his sentence was reduced to 20 years after he testified against another co-conspirator.
An FBI agent, in a court affidavit, said another witness corroborated Barnes’ story. There was also a witness who claimed he saw Wells driving away from a home where the bomb plot was concocted on the day before the bank robbery. There is no evidence to suggest Wells was there collaborating with his killers – for all the witness knew, Wells was simply delivering a pizza to the people who planned to use him for their plot.
And the FBI maintained that even if Wells was involved, his role was limited to some of the early planning stages, and that he was never willing to wear the bomb collar that caused his death.
&#8220;We have reason to believe that at some point that he was coerced, that it was placed on his neck by another individual,&#8221; U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19718261">told</a> NBC News in 2007.
One reason authorities came to believe Wells was involved was his demeanor inside the bank. He was reportedly calm and did things that someone forced to rob a bank against their will would not have done. But perhaps that was Wells’ nerves showing, just not in the way one would expect.
Wells’ connection to the co-conspirators was through a prostitute he frequented named Jessica Hoopsick, who knew Kenneth Barnes. In the 2018 Netflix documentary “Evil Genius,” Hoopsick admitted to setting Wells up for the crime, even though she described him as a friend. She said that Barnes promised her drugs and money for the name of a person he and his co-conspirators could use to rob the bank. Hoopsick insisted Wells knew nothing about the robbery plans and wasn’t in on the planning.
It doesn’t appear any follow-ups have been conducted since Hoopsick’s bombshell revelation.
Another blow to the idea that Wells was involved comes from the random nature of the call that led him to the radio tower where the collar was placed on his neck. His boss at the pizza restaurant where he worked answered the phone but couldn’t understand the person on the other line. His boss then handed the phone to Wells, who took down the order. Maybe Wells was hovering, waiting for a call at that moment, or maybe it was a complete coincidence that he happened to be the one nearby to take the order. Had another employee taken the call, or another delivery driver gotten the assignment, would they have been the one in the collar?
While authorities are reportedly unconvinced that Wells was an innocent victim, there is no doubt that Kenneth Barnes, Floyd Stockton, William Rothstein, and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong were involved.
How their involvement was discovered, however, was a story all its own.
Police had no leads as to who was behind the bomb plot, and were struggling to solve the case, until September 20, 2003 – nearly a month after Wells’ death. Rothstein, a handy-man and part-time shop teacher who always wanted everyone to know he was the smartest man in the room, called 911 on that day to report a dead body in the freezer in his garage.
The body turned out to be that of James Roden, Diehl-Armstrong’s boyfriend, whom she had killed before asking Rothstein to dispose of the body. Rothstein explained to police that he humored Diehl-Armstrong about disposing of the body so that he could report her to police.
Diehl-Armstrong, a former valedictorian who was bipolar and a shadow of her former self, was charged with killing her boyfriend Rosen. Diehl-Armstrong had previously gone on trial for killing another boyfriend in 1984, but she claimed self-defense and was acquitted. Following that death, several other men associated with Diehl-Armstrong died under mysterious circumstances.
<div id="attachment_610017" style="width: 234px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-610017" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-610017 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1012208666-224x300.jpg" alt="Subject of the &quot;Evil Genius&quot; documentary Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong mugshot. (Photo courtesy Erie Police/Getty Images)" width="224" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1012208666-224x300.jpg 224w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1012208666-430x576.jpg 430w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1012208666.jpg 764w" sizes="(max-width: 224px) 100vw, 224px" />Photo courtesy Erie Police/Getty Images</div>
Diehl-Armstrong pleaded guilty, but mentally ill, to killing Rosen and was originally sent to Mayview State Hospital, but later transferred to a state prison.
Rothstein, meanwhile, died of cancer at the age of 60. A previous suicide note he had written stated that his would-be suicide had nothing to do with the Wells case, a curious inclusion. On his death bed, he refused to discuss the Wells case with investigators.
During this time, investigators linked Rothstein and Diehl-Armstrong to the payphone that was used to call the pizza restaurant where Wells worked to order the pizza that kicked off the bank heist.
Police eventually spoke to Floyd Stockton, who was Rothstein’s roommate at the time Wells was murdered and who was a fugitive on a rape charge involving a disabled teenager. Stockton told police that Rothstein and Diehl-Armstrong were involved in the bomb plot. Rothstein reportedly needed $250,000 to satisfy family members looking to sell the family home in which he lived. Diehl-Armstrong wanted the money to pay Kenneth Barnes to kill her father, who was giving away her inheritance. 
It is believed Rothstein built the bomb and obtained some parts for it from Diehl-Armstrong, but he died before he could be charged.
Diehl-Armstrong at times gave information about the Wells case but denied her own involvement. It was never clear when she was lying and when she was telling the truth. She was charged with the bomb plot in 2007, convicted to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2011, and died in prison on April 4, 2017, at the age of 68.
Barnes also died in prison, on June 20, 2019, at the age of 65. He had been Diehl-Armstrong’s “fishing buddy” prior to their involvement in Wells’ death.
Stockton was granted immunity for cooperating with law enforcement and died on August 10, 2022, at the age of 75.
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cropped-cropped-wells1

Pizza Bomber: 20 Years Later, One Big Question Remains Unanswered

Mental Illness

Pennsylvania

Readers Pass

True Crime

A group of four thieves crashed a vehicle into a jewelry store in La Verne, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a>, before taking off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise — and it was all caught on a surveillance camera. 
The smash-and-grab occurred around noon on Saturday, when the thieves slammed a white car through Rodeo Jewelers&#8217; front glass window. After driving into the business, four men jumped out of the automobile and began smashing display cases and stuffing jewelry into bags. Police said the thieves stole around $300,000 worth of jewelry, ABC 7 <a href="https://abc7.com/jewelry-store-robbery-la-verne-california-rodeo-jewelers/13458275/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The store is located in a busy strip mall about 30 miles east of Los Angeles.
The video shows one of the thieves attacking the store owner with a chair before the owner and another worker appear to run out of the building. The thieves climbed over the roof of the vehicle they drove into the store to escape. They proceeded to get into a black Nissan Altima parked nearby before driving away. The store’s owner said he required seven stitches after being attacked.
WATCH: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Thieves ram car into La Verne jewelry store" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/89NGcpUCA04?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;It tends me to believe that there&#8217;s been other crimes committed that maybe aren&#8217;t exactly like this, but they&#8217;ve sort of tested tactics,&#8221; said La Verne Police Department Lt. Cory Leeper. &#8220;They are getting more and more brazen.&#8221;
George Gascon — the district attorney in Los Angeles County, where La Verne is located — has been heavily <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/recall-this-piece-of-garbage-soft-on-crime-los-angeles-da-gascon-slammed-after-thug-on-probation-kills-two-cops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> for his soft-on-crime policies putting residents at risk, and has survived two attempts to recall him from his elected position.
A few days before the raid on the jewelry store in La Verne, three men wearing ski masks and holding hammers smashed their way into jewelry cases at another store just a few miles away, according to ABC 7. Investigators are still trying to determine if the two smash-and-grabs are connected, and the La Verne Police Department is asking anyone with more information about the robberies to contact them. 
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Jewelry store

Video Shows Gang Of Thieves Ramming Car Into California Jewelry Store, Stealing $300K In Merchandise

Former child star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jojo-siwa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JoJo Siwa</a> documented the aftermath of an alleged armed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/robbery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">robbery</a> in her California home on social media.
The 19-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">singer</a> went into detail about the incident with her 11.3 million Instagram followers, even sharing footage from her security cameras. 
“We were robbed last night at 2:40(ish)AM… It was an armed robbery which is very scary,” Siwa told fans. “It was a REALLLLLY long night on the phone with my security, family, and LAPD.”
Police responded to a call from an alarm company about a break-in at Siwa’s home, but the suspects had already left before officers arrived, per <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/16/jojo-siwa-house-break-in-cops-burglars-mansion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TMZ</a>. The social media star was apparently on a cruise when the break-in occurred.
The “Hold the Drama” singer said there was “lots of materialistic damage” but assured that “all can be fixed.” At another point, she confirmed “no one was hurt” during the crime.
“This makes me sick to watch,” Siwa said of the footage during her social media update on Tuesday. “I’m just happy that my family and pups are safe. Most important thing to me.”
“Do me a favor and hug your people extra tight tonight,” she went on. “Life is SCARY. And you never know when anything could happen.”
Celebrities have been the target of robberies with increasing regularity. Page Six <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/05/18/jojo-siwa-shares-footage-of-burglars-who-broke-into-her-la-home-makes-me-sick/?_gl=1*7awggj*_ga*MTI3MDEyNzMzNC4xNjgxMjE3ODEz*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*MTY4NDQxMTgxNi42NS4wLjE2ODQ0MTE4MTYuMC4wLjA.&amp;_ga=2.255231104.96067713.1684411817-1270127334.1681217813" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that singer Lily Collins recently had jewelry and other personal items worth $10,000 stolen from her hotel room. Billie Eilish also had her home broken into in January.
Valerie Bertinelli was the victim of an attempted burglary last month, she said, sharing security footage of two individuals outside her home in the early morning hours. Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian, Alex Rodriguez, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Orlando Bloom, Hilary Duff, and Simon Cowell are just some of the other celebrities who have been burglarized over the years.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has been criticized for &#8220;soft-on-crime&#8221; policies that critics say put residents at risk. Increased crime incidents in L.A., especially robberies, have inspired some to insist Gascón be removed from office.

JoJo Siwa

‘Makes Me Sick’: JoJo Siwa Shares Footage Of Armed Robbery At Her Home

'Makes Me Sick': JoJo Siwa Shares Footage Of Armed Robbery At Her Home

Celebrities

Entertainment

Just when you think you&#8217;ve seen it all, the Democrats pull another trick out of their hat to avoid responsibility for soft-on-crime policies which have sent lawlessness skyrocketing around the nation.
The cities of Baltimore, St. Louis, and Seattle, among other municipalities, announced a lawsuit against two car-makers for allegedly making vehicles that are too easy to steal. (Author&#8217;s note: This is not an article from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/babylon-bee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Babylon Bee</a>).
On Thursday, the cities released a press release stating the lawsuit is &#8220;against Hyundai and Kia for failing to equip their vehicles with industry-standard vehicle immobilization technology. Without this feature, vehicles can be started without a key, a flaw that has been the subject of numerous TikTok videos demonstrating the ease with which these cars can be stolen.&#8221;
According to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, defunding <del datetime="2023-05-12T17:19:38+00:00">the police</del> the creation of certain parts found in Hyundai and Kia vehicles is to blame for the record-breaking car thefts.
&#8220;These cost-cutting measures employed by Hyundai and Kia at the expense of public safety are unacceptable,&#8221; Scott <a href="https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/news/press-releases/2023-05-11-city-baltimore-files-lawsuit-against-hyundai-kia-over-car-thefts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a press release. &#8220;They have left our residents vulnerable to crime and are significantly burdening our police resources.&#8221;
To the city&#8217;s credit, Kias and Hyundais do appear to constitute a plurality of car thefts in Baltimore in 2023.
&#8220;Year-to-date, auto thefts are up 95%, with Kia and Hyundais representing 41% of all stolen vehicles,&#8221; Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said in a statement.
Yet what can explain the other 59% of car thefts this year?
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Well, perhaps Baltimore&#8217;s <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-police-budget-explainer-20200617-4yjweepbkreknjlef4f45jiblm-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anti-police track record</a>, its <a href="https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/concerns-of-baltimore-city-crime-reaching-surrounding-counties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tendency to dole out lenient punishments</a>, and its <a href="https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20220825-fatherlessness-in-the-national-capital-region#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Baltimore%20City,about%2041%25%20of%20all%20births." target="_blank" rel="noopener">fatherlessness rate can explain the issue</a>.
Looking at those policies could also <a href="https://www.police1.com/crime-prevention/articles/report-ranks-us-cities-with-increased-homicide-rates-in-2023-BeaNzXzmnnVlAw3b/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clarify why Baltimore</a> has the third highest homicide rate per capita in the nation in 2023, followed by St. Louis coming in fourth. Seattle fares better in that category, but even Seattle can&#8217;t say that Kia and Hyundai are to blame for its <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/violent-crime-car-thefts-reached-15-year-high-in-seattle-in-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15-year-high violent crime rate</a> in 2022.
Admitting that leftist policies and broken homes are more likely to blame for the chaos would require Democrats to accept responsibility for their actions. So instead, they&#8217;ll blame those evil corporations.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Untitled design – 2023-05-12T121806.766

Liberal Cities Sue Car Makers For Making Vehicles Too Easy To Steal

Baltimore

Cars

Hyundai

Seattle

St. Louis

Michael Peterson, better known by his fighting name Charles Bronson and Britain’s most notorious prisoner, is up for parole.
A parole board is currently deciding whether Bronson, who changed his name to Charles Salvador in 2014, should be released after spending nearly 50 years behind bars. He is currently serving a life sentence after numerous bouts with prisoners and prison guards while serving time on a robbery charge from 1988.
During his parole hearing, Bronson routinely swore and sighed loudly, the Independent <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/charles-bronson-parole-mailing-list-letters-b2295055.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He was given 15 minutes to make an opening statement and began by saying, “I could fill 15 hours.”
“First of all, it’s no secret I have had more porridge than Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and I’m sick of it. I’ve had enough of it, I want to go home,” Bronson said.
He added that half of the 738-page dossier on his actions was “crap, absolute rubbish,” arguing that he was “almost an angel now,” compared to how he had previously acted.
“I have not walked on grass for over 30 years and I dream of walking on grass,” he added.
But Bronson also said he was “born to have a rumble” and disparaged a prison governor whom he had attacked and left with post-traumatic stress disorder. Bronson called the man “an a**hole,” saying he would “die an a**hole.”
The chairman of the Parole Board panel argued that Bronson had spent almost the entirety of the past five decades behind bars, except for two brief periods where he was released and quickly committed new crimes.
Born in 1952, Bronson began a life of petty crime at a young age, with juvenile court reprimands for stealing. He served time for smashing parked cars after having an argument with his then-girlfriend’s father, and a suspended sentence for a smash-and-grab raid at age 19.
His first major offense occurred in 1974 when he was convicted of armed robbery at the age of 22 and sentenced to seven years in prison.
While in prison, he attacked prisoners and guards alike, took hostages, and attempted to escape. Though he has never killed anyone, he attempted to kill multiple prisoners, including child rapist and murderer John White.
Bronson changed his name to Charles Bronson in 1987 during one of his prison releases, when he began a short-lived stint as a bare-knuckle boxer. Bronson would return to prison shortly, however, after robbing a jewelry store.
In prison, Bronson became depressed, and used art therapy as a way to cope, eventually changing his name to Charles Salvador in tribute to Salvador Dali. His paintings have been sold and earned him awards, and the Charles Salvador Art Foundation promotes his work and encourages those less fortunate to create art.
He has also written books about his experience as a prisoner and exercising in small spaces.
It is unclear whether he will be granted parole.

Charles Bronson Rooftop Protest

Britain’s Most Notorious Prisoner, ‘Charles Bronson,’ Is Up For Parole

Great Britain

Prison

World

A 65 year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/utah">Utah</a> man was literally trying to go to jail when he robbed a bank on Monday.
The suspect, 65 year-old Donald Santacroce, reportedly entered a Wells Fargo bank in Salt Lake City and politely demanded $1. He then sat and waited patiently for police to arrive and arrest him. According to <a href="https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/utah-man-robs-bank-of-1-in-attempt-to-go-to-federal-prison/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local news reports</a>, the suspect attempted the robbery because he intended to go to jail.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local outlet <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/50594581/utah-man-robbed-bank-of-just-1-then-waited-to-be-arrested-police-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSL.com</a>, the suspect entered the bank and handed the teller a note that read: &#8220;Please pardon me for doing this but this is a robbery. Please give me $1. Thank you.&#8221; The teller gave the man the dollar and asked him to leave, but he told the teller to call the police instead.
The man refused to leave. &#8220;Donald sat down in the bank lobby and waited for police to arrive,&#8221; the affidavit said. &#8220;While waiting for police, Donald made a statement to the victims that they are lucky (he) didn&#8217;t have a gun because it was taking the police so long to get there. At this point the branch manager said she ushered all of her employees into a back room for their safety where she locked the doors.&#8221;
Police arrived on scene and arrested Santacroce. He returned the dollar bill to the officers. &#8220;Donald said he had done this because he wanted to get arrested and go to federal prison. Donald stated that if he gets out of jail, he will rob another bank and ask for more money next time trying to get the desired result of going to federal prison,&#8221; the affidavit stated.
He was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail at around 6:15 P.M. local time on one charge of felony robbery. According to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-accused-robbing-utah-bank-1-demanding-go-federal-prison-rcna74020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a>, he is no longer in custody as of Wednesday. It does not appear to be his first incident in recent days. According to KSL, Santacroce was arrested last week by the Utah Highway Patrol in Iron County on charges of driving under the influence and careless driving. State Troopers noted at the time that he had a Missouri driver&#8217;s license that was suspended.
Robbing a bank is a federal crime. According to <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18 U.S. Code § 2113</a>, simply entering a bank, credit union, or savings and loan association with the intent to steal or extort property is punishable by a fine and up to 20 years in prison. Taking property valued less than $1000 adds an additional fine and up to a year in prison.
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Several incidents like this one have occurred before. In <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/nc-man-allegedly-robs-bank-health-care-jail/story?id=13887040" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2011</a>, a North Carolina man robbed a bank for $1 so that he could receive health care in prison. The man, who had no job and had two ruptured discs in his spinal column and a growth in his chest, was hoping that a three-year prison term would allow him to receive adequate medical care. He was charged with larceny for the incident.
A year later, a <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-homeless-oc-bank-robbery-suspect-sought-arrest-2012nov14-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">homeless man</a> in Orange County, California broke into a Wells Fargo and passed a demand note to a teller. He later told authorities that he did it because he wanted to receive shelter and medical care in prison.
As of Wednesday, it was not clear what motivated Santacroce to rob the bank.

Views Of US Currency As Stocks Fall Most This Year

Utah Man Robs Bank For $1 Because He Wants To Go To Federal Prison

Banks

Utah

Restaurant and bar owners in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/houston-taqueria-where-patron-shot-and-killed-would-be-robber-gets-robbed-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Houston</a> are sleeping in their establishments, armed, in order to protect them from robbers.
The restaurant owners have resorted to sleeping in their businesses in order to prevent a recent rash of break-ins that have taken place in recent weeks. The owners said that their businesses have been broken into repeatedly, sometimes by the same suspect. They placed the blame on Houston&#8217;s bail policies, which have resulted in more criminals out on the streets.
“We’ve been broken into six times now,&#8221; Tod Jones, the owner of Glitter, a karaoke bar in Midtown Houston, told local news outlet <a href="https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-restaurant-bars-burglaries/285-6667ff6d-562d-4173-9594-be37661e754b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KHOU</a>. “They’re coming in, grabbing as many bottles as they can, throwing it in a bag and then they’re out. Both my windows are broken, and I’m like, &#8216;Man, I don’t even want to fix them because they’re going to be broken again in the next few days.’”
Jones said that the thieves have caused more than $20,000 in damages and stolen alcohol. “At this point, you don’t even want to claim it on your insurance, because you don’t want to lose your insurance,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just have to fix it yourself.” KHOU reported that Jones now sleeps at the bar from closing until morning to protect the property.
Raul Jacobo, the owner of Cobos Barbecue in the East Downtown neighborhood, is also sleeping in the back office of his restaurant with a gun waiting for burglars. The restaurant was broken into twice in less than two weeks, despite being a block away from a Houston Police Department office. In one instance, Jacobo and a security guard caught a would-be thief and held him until police arrived. &#8220;Police got there, he had his bag with all his tools in it, ski mask,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Then, next thing I find out, he’s out the next day.”
“We are literally one street away from an [HPD] substation and we have a criminal that is breaking in twice in four days and doesn’t care about any consequence,&#8221; he added.
“I have been burglarized 15 times in the last year,” Lindsey Rae, the owner of Two-Headed Dog in Houston, said during a recent city council meeting, via the <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/01/19/armed-bar-owners-in-texas-sleeping-in-shops-to-stop-criminals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. “We’re seeing, if they are getting caught, they’re getting re-released because of the cash bond issues we’re having,” she added. &#8220;They can come back and rob us again.”
A 2021 investigation from ABC affiliate <a href="https://abc13.com/feature/harris-county-bond-system-repeat-offenders-houston-crime/11250980/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KTRK</a> found that Houston&#8217;s bail policies have allowed more criminals back onto the streets. The outlet found that in 2011, just 3.5% of cases filed in Harris County court resulted in the defendant being released on felony bond; in 2021, the defendant was released in 18.8% of cases, nearly six times as often. The most frequent charges for defendants who posted felony bond were: felon in possession of a weapon; possession of a controlled substance; or aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The investigation also found that criminals were committing more crimes while out on bail. In 2011, just 3.5% of cases involved a defendant who was already out on at least one existing felony bond; in 2021, that number leaped to 19%. Of those cases, 968 accused felons allegedly committed four or more new crimes since being released on bond. One case investigated by the outlet found that the offender was out on 13 separate bonds.

Guns

Houston Restaurant Owners Are Sleeping In Their Businesses, Armed, To Keep Out Burglars Because Of City’s Lax Bail Policies

Houston Restaurant Owners Are Sleeping In Their Businesses, Armed, To Keep Out Burglars Because Of City's Lax Bail Policies

Houston

Small Businesses

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/houston" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Houston</a> taqueria where a would-be robber was shot and killed last week suffered a break-in on Tuesday.
At about 2:45 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning, a man broke into El Ranchito #4 in southwest Houston, stealing money and damaging several video poker machines in the establishment. Surveillance video from the scene shows the robber using a crowbar to pry open the door of the restaurant, breaking into several gambling machines before making off with several hundred dollars from the cash register.
&#8220;When I got here, I looked at the video and I saw the man break into the games and the register,&#8221; Pedro Lopez, the owner of El Ranchito, told <a href="https://abc13.com/houston-taqueria-robbery-shooting-break-in-at-el-ranchito-customer-shoots-robber/12685408/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local news</a> reporters.
Surveillance video of the break-in shows a masked man using a pry bar to wrench open the door of the restaurant. The man then busts open three video poker machines from which he reportedly stole money. He then walks up to the cash register, breaking it open and taking the money from inside. Lopez told local news outlets that the thief made off with a couple hundred dollars.
His gambling machines are ruined, and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHritBC8Ajw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news hit</a> from local station ABC 13 showed the front door lock of the restaurant mangled as well.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s against me. I just don&#8217;t know,&#8221; Lopez lamented. &#8220;I think we need to come out ahead of it and move forward. Keep working until someone else comes to rob us.&#8221; The shop was open the day after the robbery took place, ABC 13 reported.
The second break-in came just five days after a would-be robber was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/armed-customer-shoots-robber-dead-and-returns-stolen-money-in-houston-taqueria-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot and killed</a> by a patron while attempting to hold up the store. Witnesses told officers that a masked African American man wearing all black clothing, a black ski mask, and black gloves walked into the restaurant, pointing what appeared to be a firearm at customers while demanding their money, according to Houston police.
While this person was walking around the restaurant taking money from patrons, one customer sitting in a booth with another person quickly stood up as soon as the suspect passed by and pulled out a gun, as seen in the surveillance video.
Police said the armed patron shot the suspect multiple times before collecting the stolen money, which he then returned to the others. This individual and other patrons then left the scene, leaving the police to ask the public for help in identifying the shooter as he was wanted for questioning.
The Houston Police Department shared surveillance images of who they believe was the armed customer, described as a white or Hispanic man, as well as his 1970s or 1980s model pickup truck with no bed. No charges have been filed, police said in a Friday press release.
On Monday, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that it was referring the case to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/grand-jury-to-decide-on-charges-for-customer-who-fatally-shot-robber-at-houston-taqueria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grand jury</a>, which would decide whether or not to press charges against the patron.
Lopez expressed support for the patron on Tuesday. &#8220;I&#8217;m happy that they didn&#8217;t put charges against him right now,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He continues forward and God takes care of him and protects him. Thanks to him, they didn&#8217;t take the money. The bad thing is the death.&#8221;

Robber with crowbar

Houston Taqueria Where Patron Shot And Killed Would-Be Robber Gets Robbed Again

Shooting

After news broke that Sam Brinton, the “gender-fluid” deputy assistant secretary for Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition at the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, had been accused in a second case of stealing someone’s luggage at an airport, Megyn Kelly had some harsh words for the Biden administration.
Brinton had already been accused of stealing someone else’s luggage in Minneapolis in September, but now he has also been accused of stealing luggage at a Las Vegas airport. A felony warrant in Las Vegas was issued for Brinton, charging him with grand larceny, <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/energy-department-official-accused-of-stealing-luggage-from-las-vegas-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">8 News Now</a> reported.
“This story is amazing,” Kelly tweeted. “Perhaps some more time should be spent on actually vetting our nuclear officials (or firing them when necessary) instead of just hiring anyone who checks a diversity box.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This story is amazing. Perhaps some more time should be spent on actually vetting our nuclear officials (or firing them when necessary) instead of just hiring anyone who checks a diversity box. <a href="https://t.co/zYBmTth6UF">https://t.co/zYBmTth6UF</a>
&mdash; Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/megynkelly/status/1601214876659044352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Brinton reportedly flew into Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport from Washington, D.C., traveling without a checked bag. The complaint alleged Brinton left in an Uber and checked into a hotel with a blue bag.
On Monday, prior to the Las Vegas accusations against Brinton, House Republicans sent a <a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/647991c4801/bcc50571-b74c-484f-be6f-c58965867dde.pdf?rdr=true">letter</a> to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm demanding Brinton’s resignation. They wrote: &#8220;Surveillance footage reveals Brinton taking and leaving with luggage from the baggage carousel at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport on September 16th. After initially lying to the police, Brinton later admitted to taking a suitcase valued at $2,325 and hiding the owner’s belongings in a hotel room. Alarmingly, Brinton has been observed using the stolen suitcase on multiple trips to Washington, D.C., and was ultimately charged with felony theft, which carries a penalty of up to five years imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, or both.&#8221;
“As an appointed official, Sam Brinton represents both your Department and the United States,” the letter added. “It is simply not possible for an individual to represent American values and simultaneously violate the felony laws of the land.”
“Please provide your fully transparent response no later than December 20, 2022,” they concluded.
In July, Brinton, who has bragged online about his puppy role-play fetish, joined transgender Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine to attend a party at the French ambassador’s home, where they both wore dresses. Brinton has <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170709013033/https:/poly.rpi.edu/2017/04/12/nuclear_policy_expert_discusses_sex_kinks/">given lectures</a> on kinky sex practices, including presentations about adults who like to wear diapers and pretend they are babies, as well as fetishes involving pup play, humiliation, and degradation, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-trans-health-official-non-binary-puppy-fetish-doe-worker-make-splash-at-ambassadors-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
You go back in time and have to explain this picture to someone from 2005. How do you explain what’s going on and how we got here? <a href="https://t.co/aG9gKib85O">pic.twitter.com/aG9gKib85O</a>
&mdash; Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) <a href="https://twitter.com/conservmillen/status/1548021423821623304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Collage Maker-09-Dec-2022-09.59-AM

Biden ‘Gender-Fluid’ Official Accused Of 2nd Luggage Heist. Megyn Kelly Blasts Biden Administration.

Biden 'Gender-Fluid' Official Accused Of 2nd Luggage Heist. Megyn Kelly Blasts Biden Administration.

Department of Energy

gender-fluid

Megyn Kelly

Sam Brinton

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