| Located in the southeastern part of Los Angeles country in California, Diamond Bar is upscale city with a median income well-above the national average. In fact, it has one of the highest income averages in the entire country. One may think that with wealth comes a lowering of crime rates, but this is not necessarily so. One look at some of the more recent crimes reported in the area, however, tell a story that is indicative of problems that even cities of more modest means face. In September of 2016, a man who donned a surgical mask robbed a gas station attendant at gunpoint. Thankfully nobody was hurt in the incident and the criminal merely ran off with the cash from the register. He has not been apprehended as of yet but the gas station was equipped with video surveillance equipment which recorded the entire crime and has allowed the police to make a fairly detailed description and release it to the public. No crimes involving anyone fitting his description have been reported since so one can assume the cameras apparently did their job well and scared the robber into laying low and ceasing his activities. It will only be a matter of time before local sheriff officials will be knocking upon his door and placing him under arrest. Surveillance equipment was also the hero during what police are describing as a hate crime at a Diamond Bar Korean restaurant. A Chinese man entered the establishment and ordered food to-go. After he received his food, he left the restaurant and was followed out by seven Korean men who proceeded to savagely beat him and rob him of his belongings. While bystanders aided in ending the attack, the “tough guys” fled. Luckily, the restaurant was equipped with video cameras that caught the entire incident on tape. After reviewing the footage, police quickly caught several of the ruffians and hope to make more arrests in the very near future. A kidnapping and torture incident was also brought to swift justice by the help of video surveillance equipment. On the outskirts of the city, a young Chinese student was lured to a nearby ice cream shop to “clear up a misunderstanding” between her and someone she had considered a friend. At the store, she was assaulted by a gang of other youths she with whom she attended school. She was beaten and forced to clean ice cream and cigarette butts off of the floor. She was then dragged to a nearby park where she was burned by cigarettes, stripped naked, had her hair shorn off and force fed her own hair. This is a particularly disturbing crime not only because of its violent aspects but because the youths who participated in the torture thought of it as some kind of game. Again, these acts were all captured on video surveillance cameras and the offending youths quickly captured. When the burglary rate is low, residents may be lulled into a false sense of security that everything is a-ok. However, there are other crimes besides simple burglary that security systems help to defend against. All of the above crimes were successfully dealt with because there were reliable and professionally-installed security systems in place. The perpetrators were swiftly caught and brought to justice, thus ensuring that a dangerous criminal element was removed from the street. The city of Diamond Bar contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for its law enforcement needs. This is because the city is technically an unincorporated area. However, the enjoy the expertise and technological advances in law enforcement that Los Angeles County brings to the table. They provide 20 active full-time patrolmen and a volunteer group that consists of 25 members to make sure that Diamond Bar is as safe as it can be. The city also boasts over 100 Neighborhood Watch groups. For more information on joining a group or to possibly start one of your own, contact: Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station 21695 E. Valley Boulevard 909-595-2264 or call: City of Diamond Bar Public Safety Division 909.348.8334 It is a good sign that there are so many people willing to volunteer in watch programs. This indicates not only a high level of interest in keeping oneself safe but also an underlying concern in one’s neighbors. There is an old saying that it “takes a village to raise a child”, well, the same can be said about keeping a neighborhood safe. A city is only as strong as the eyes and ears of its citizens. If everyone were to look the other way, it would be a sad state of affairs. There are quite a few companies that provide security options for residents of Diamond Bar or anyone thinking of moving there. A cursory glance via an internet search engine pulls up some top-ranked companies including, but not limited to: Southwest 838 N Diamond Bar Blvd, Diamond Bar (800) 716-0600 Starside 1930 S Brea Canyon Rd Ste 220, Diamond Bar (909) 396-9999 Summit 3191 W Temple Ave Ste 248, Pomona (714) 508-3610 ADT 4210 Chino Hills Pkwy, Chino Hills (909) 203-1876 It should be remembered that even areas of great wealth, there are criminals lurking about. The nature of the crimes may differ slightly but the dangers are ever present. The need and desire to protect your loved ones from harm should be quite strong and the population of any city should always be vigilant in protecting themselves from harm. |
