A 20-man LAPD task force has been created in response to a recent trend in what the force has called follow-home robberies.

The Follow Home Task Force will be primarily manned by the LAPD Robbery Homicide Division as 133 follow-home robberies are actively being investigated.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore instructed the Robbery-Homicide Division to create the task force back in November 17, with the intention of finding the suspects in these robberies. The task force was accelerated Tuesday after a fatal shooting occurred outside of the Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine on Sunset Boulevard.

Once officers arrived on scene, a 23-year-old man was found shot and unresponsive. Chief Moore later said the man was involved in an altercation with a robber who followed home a woman near the restaurant.

“Due to the unfortunate events, the Chief of police has directed the Chief of Detectives to immediately institute the Follow Home Task Force,” The LAPD said in a statement.

The robberies have typically occurred at high-end restaurants and shops in places such as Melrose Avenue.

The suspects have reportedly targeted people wearing jewelry, or entering luxury cars, following them to their homes, or in some cases, unassuming locations such as empty parking lots.

LAPD said it found a link between at least six different gangs, through past incidents where suspects were arrested.

People who frequent these upscale areas are being asked by LAPD to take measures such as being aware of their surroundings, not display valuable jewelry and call 911 if they believe they are being followed. LAPD also asked people to comply with the robbers and write down all information they can remember as far as descriptions of the suspects and possible vehicles.

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