Los Angeles

Ojai's Only Violent Crime So Far This Year? ‘Beer Run That Went Bad'

The teens allegedly went into a gas station mart to steal beer and used a skateboard to beat an employee who confronted them and hit a witness who called 911.

The artsy Southern California city of Ojai is so safe that a single attempt by teens to steal beer accounted for the majority of its violent crimes last year.

Sheriff's Capt. James Fryhoff tells the Ventura County Star that "a beer run that went bad" accounted for four of the six crimes.

The teens allegedly went into a gas station mart to steal beer and used a skateboard to beat an employee who confronted them and hit a witness who called 911.

That tallied up as two robberies and two assaults with a deadly weapon.

Fryhoff serves as police chief of Ojai, a community of just under 7,700 residents in a scenic valley northwest of Los Angeles.

It's best known for galleries, boutiques and outdoor recreation that draw tourists.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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