A tracking application on a stolen iPhone helped police track down four armed men suspected in a series of Hollywood robberies.
The iPhone was among the items stolen in four robberies reported Sunday night and early Monday morning in Hollywood. The locations were in the the 5700 block of Virginia Avenue and 1600 block of Sycamore Avenue.
"It was absolutely a crime of opportunity," said Det. Bradley Mossie. "They were driving around looking for likely victims on side streets or dark areas."
The men took phones, jewelry, cash and wallets. One of the victims activated a stolen iPhone's tracking application, leading police to the subjects in a vehicle at Santa Monica and Virgil Avenue.
Some of the stolen items and weapons were found in the vehicle, police said.
"Some of the suspects were armed with either a handgun, a bat, a pipe," Mossie said. "Several of the victims were struck in the shoulders and head with the objects."
The Find My iPhone application can be downloaded from the iTunes store. By synching with another iOS device, the user can track a lost or stolen device's location.
