From Beverly Hills to Santa Monica, the crime-panicked wealthy are banishing bling and buying guns

[Boiler 45,931]

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/l-a-s-arms-race-of-the-affluent/

 

Since opening in July 2020, the store has seen upscale residents from Santa Monica to the Hollywood Hills increasingly in a panic following several high-profile smash-and-grab and violent home invasion robberies. The apparent siege has brought in a daily stream of anxious business owners and prominent actors, real estate moguls and film execs, says owner Russell Stuart. Most are arming themselves for the first time.

“This morning I sold six shotguns in about an hour to people that say, ‘I want a home defense shotgun,’” says Stuart, whose store is discreetly located in a Beverly Hills office building, with no sign on the doors, down the hall from a diamond dealer. “Everyone has a general sense of constant fear,  which is very sad. We’re used to this being like Mayberry.”

[Dashinka 24,726]

I thought it was almost impossible to get a concealed carry permit in CA?  I also wonder what armor does to the range of an electric car.

[Boiler 45,931]

Well the distance travelled between the two is not far so maybe not an issue?

 

I was amused by the peaceful protest comment.

 

I would imagine the permit thing is one rule for thee and one for me.

[Ban Hammer 13,480]

it's all fun and games until reality sets in.

[LIBrty4all 3,754]

4 hours ago, Dashinka said:

I thought it was almost impossible to get a concealed carry permit in CA?  I also wonder what armor does to the range of an electric car.

Don't need a CCP for a shotgun.

 

But I thought Santa Monica was a Utopia wherein everyone sings Kumbaya and holds hands in harmony and everyone who is someone wants to live?

 

[laylalex 7,300]

We have made some choices about our life here. We live relatively modestly, and neither of us were ever people who were particularly flashy. We're homebodies, really. We also live in a building with security, even though we could have had a single family, or a duplex. We drive an older car, because I've learned over the years that the best way to lose money is to spend it. I take clues from old money, and old money only spends on things that are meaningful with value that endures. 

 

I love living in Santa Monica, and it isn't perfect. It's also a very safe city. People get overworked, when they could just take greater precautions. We have a great police force. I feel safe. And although I've agreed to my husband getting a hunting rifle, it's for hunting, not for home protection -- at his insistence.

 

We're good here. And also, who's holding hands during a pandemic?? Ew. Unless I know you, pass, please.  

[Boiler 45,931]

So where is Mayberry?

[laylalex 7,300]

Culver City, actually, which is only about 7 miles from here.

http://retroweb.com/40acres.html

[Dashinka 24,726]

15 minutes ago, laylalex said:

We have made some choices about our life here. We live relatively modestly, and neither of us were ever people who were particularly flashy. We're homebodies, really. We also live in a building with security, even though we could have had a single family, or a duplex. We drive an older car, because I've learned over the years that the best way to lose money is to spend it. I take clues from old money, and old money only spends on things that are meaningful with value that endures. 

 

I love living in Santa Monica, and it isn't perfect. It's also a very safe city. People get overworked, when they could just take greater precautions. We have a great police force. I feel safe. And although I've agreed to my husband getting a hunting rifle, it's for hunting, not for home protection -- at his insistence.

 

We're good here. And also, who's holding hands during a pandemic?? Ew. Unless I know you, pass, please.  

I have been hearing about issues where people are followed home, and essentially home jacked in CA/LA.  Is that happening in your area?   Btw, the issue is not the police force, it is the leftist prosecutors.

[Dashinka 24,726]

6 hours ago, Boiler said:

Well the distance travelled between the two is not far so maybe not an issue?

 

I was amused by the peaceful protest comment.

 

I would imagine the permit thing is one rule for thee and one for me.

Yeah, I saw that peaceful protest comment.

 

2 hours ago, LIBrty4all said:

Don't need a CCP for a shotgun.

 

But I thought Santa Monica was a Utopia wherein everyone sings Kumbaya and holds hands in harmony and everyone who is someone wants to live?

 

The story talked about the important elite of CA also trying to get their CCP through the main subject of the article.

[laylalex 7,300]

Well, the prosecutor thing isn't really an issue with the home invasions. It may be spun like that outside of the LA area, but it really isn't. There's a LOT of pressure against Gascon from any number of sides, which I think is okay. Jackie Lacey was a disaster -- Gascon is polarizing, but I am willing to give him another year. It's too early to tell. 

 

The real issue is with organized crime rebooting itself. The pandemic allowed a lot of people, for better or worse, to let their hair down and kind of forget to be careful. Criminals take advantage of that. These are gangs, not rando homeless crooks (another issue altogether). We need more support for busting gangs, and while it has been downplayed we haven't defunded the SMPD. LAPD got an increase! 

 

People will always freak out a little, but there are so many ways not to invite crime home. Life is pretty damn good out here as we nudge our way into 2022, for the most part. I'm dealing personally with a death in the family, which is always hard, but we just keep moving on. Be well, everyone. ❤️

 

[Ban Hammer 13,480]

1 hour ago, laylalex said:

 And although I've agreed to my husband getting a hunting rifle, it's for hunting, not for home protection -- at his insistence.

 

 

[Boiler 45,931]

I was in SM and agree it is not that bad.

 

Only visited Beverly Hills for a short time and that was during the pandemic and obviously you could sense the money. Many moons ago on my first trip to the US we were I think in the Richmond area and were walking from Hotel to a Restaurant and got stopped by a very pleasant Police Officer who suggested that this was not a good area to walk in. I have traveled and could not pick up on the usual clues. 

 

Now what it is really like in Beverly Hills, how much it really has changed that I do not know. Obviously things change everywhere. 

 

There is a lot of very obvious wealth so I does not surprise me that there will be increasing crime. 

 

 

 

 

[Dashinka 24,726]

17 hours ago, laylalex said:

Well, the prosecutor thing isn't really an issue with the home invasions. It may be spun like that outside of the LA area, but it really isn't. There's a LOT of pressure against Gascon from any number of sides, which I think is okay. Jackie Lacey was a disaster -- Gascon is polarizing, but I am willing to give him another year. It's too early to tell. 

 

The real issue is with organized crime rebooting itself. The pandemic allowed a lot of people, for better or worse, to let their hair down and kind of forget to be careful. Criminals take advantage of that. These are gangs, not rando homeless crooks (another issue altogether). We need more support for busting gangs, and while it has been downplayed we haven't defunded the SMPD. LAPD got an increase! 

 

People will always freak out a little, but there are so many ways not to invite crime home. Life is pretty damn good out here as we nudge our way into 2022, for the most part. I'm dealing personally with a death in the family, which is always hard, but we just keep moving on. Be well, everyone. ❤️

 

You do understand that organized crime is rebooting itself because of what opportunities they now have.  This always seems to be the case with the “good intentions” many have in political office (particularly those on the Left), the unintended consequences of their actions.

[Boiler 45,931]

None of them seems to be addressing significant societal changes, the hollowing out of society, the disappearing middle.

 

The thing that struck me most about my trip was the number of Warehouses, the number of trucks, and long trains of containers. Do not understand how this can work long term.