Robbery

Police officials have issued an alert regarding a series of nail salon robberies in Burbank and surrounding cities. At least two have occurred in Burbank, one on July 27 , the other on July 24 . In each of the robberies, two men and one woman stormed the salons, brandished a gun, and demanded cellphones, purses and other items before fleeing in a waiting getaway car. No one in either robbery was hurt, police said. The three suspects are described as being black, with one of the men being about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, and the second man being about 5 feet 8 inches tall and 160 pounds.

Good morning, readers. Today is Friday, August 10. Next Tuesday, a public hearing is set to take place on the controversial NBC Universal Evolution plan. A plan to add thousands of residential units was cut, but Evolution still includes new hotels and office spaces . Patch A North Hollywood apartment building roof partially collapsed after a fire broke out. No injuries were reported. Contra Costa Times A trio has started a pattern of robbing Valley nail salons . In the third time in the last month, customers and employees were robbed at gunpoint.

Police are asking for the victims in a residential burglary and street robbery to come forward now that two juveniles were arrested on suspicion of stolen property. On April 25, police arrested two juveniles for an alleged residential burglary that took place April 23 near Grismer Avenue that was not reported to police, Officer Joshua Kendrick said. Police recovered a gaming system, jewelry and cellular phones. Police also determined a street robbery occurred on Kenneth Road when a cellular phone was stolen on April 25, Kendrick said.

Defending the city against claims that former Burbank Deputy Chief of Police William Taylor was terminated after facing on-the-job retaliation from the department, attorneys this week called into question the reason for his lawsuit. Taylor alleges he was demoted, and then fired, for pushing for proper discipline in a sexual harassment incident and because he blocked the firing of minority police officers. But defense attorneys said in Los Angeles County Superior court that it wasn't until Taylor received notice to appear for an interview by an outside investigator concerning the robbery at a local bakery that he filed his lawsuit against the city.

The attorney for a former Burbank deputy police chief who claims he was fired because he complained about internal issues questioned the validity Thursday of an outside investigator's report that played a role in his client's termination. The former deputy, William Taylor, alleges that he was demoted and then fired in retaliation for expressing concerns about racial discrimination and sexual harassment. His lawsuit, which was being heard this week, is the first of several filed after the Porto's Bakery and Cafe robbery in 2007 to go before a jury.

Los Angeles police searched Tuesday for three armed men who killed a 24-year-old as he attempted to help his grandfather, who was being mugged by the men outside a Sun Valley home. Danilo Estuardo Morales was shot in the head and killed after coming to the aid of his 60-year-old grandfather who had just been mugged by three men outside a home on the 8100 block of Coldwater Canyon Boulevard, authorities said. The grandfather had just arrived at the home when he encountered the three men, who took his wallet and jewelry, police said.

Man arrested for attempted burglary Francis Lockhard, 35, of Burbank, was arrested Oct. 22 on suspicion of attempted burglary and being under the influence of a controlled substance after allegedly trying to open several locked doors at an office complex on the 4000 block of Alameda Avenue. Man struck in head with chair On Oct. 20, a man described as being in his late 30s, white, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall with short blond/brown hair told a man inside a restaurant on the 300 block of First Street that he was being too loud, then proceeded to throw a chair, striking him in the head.

An armed man attempted to rob the El Torito restaurant on Olive Avenue Monday morning, prompting the manager to call police while locked inside a back office. At about 1 a.m. Monday, police say a Latino man confronted the manager and demanded money. After calling police from behind a locked office door, the man fled empty-handed, said Burbank Police Sgt. M. Ferguson. No one was injured. The man was described as 25 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a black and white striped shirt, black mustache, black pants and short brown hair.