Upscale L.A. neighborhood overrun with prostitution, residents say
With much of the Los Angeles Police Department’s understaffed vice units focused on the illegal sex trade in the infamous Figueroa Street corridor, residents in the picturesque community of Larchmont Village say much of that business has spilled into their neighborhood.
Neighbors who spoke to KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff said the problem isn’t new and that it’s been going on for a couple of years, but that lately, it’s escalated.
Longtime homeowners in the neighborhood say that when the sun goes down, the sketchy, unwanted encounters begin and what’s left behind after the transactions is just as problematic.
“They’re taking advantage of a human need in a disgusting way,” a resident identified only as Larry told KTLA.
He said that he often wakes up to see barely clothed women walking across the street and finds used condoms, sanitary napkins, tissues and all kinds of remnants left behind from the illicit sex trafficking and prostitution.
“I have to come out in the morning and scoop up used condoms with semen coming out of them,” he said. “You can’t imagine how disgusting it is and it’s daily. You have to do it every day. It’s quite remarkable.”
Neighbor Marc Warzecha described the illegal activity, sometimes referred to as a victimless crime, as dangerous.
“Occasionally, it’s violent,” he said. “Sometimes the sex workers and the Johns are getting in fights, they’re screaming at each other, they’re getting physical with each other.”
Other nearby neighborhoods impacted by the activity include St. Andrews Square, Windsor Square and Koreatown. Suspect in violent pursuit crash that killed innocent O.C. man, 59, identified
Advised by police not to intervene, resident Karen Gilman said some residents have put up signs letting “Johns” and pimps know that they’re on camera and that their license plates will be reported to LAPD.
“Wherever there’s darkness and wherever there’s a space for a car to park, even if there’s parking permit restrictions posted, it really doesn’t matter,” she said. “They want to do their thing.”
Councilmember Hugo Soto Martinez, who represents the area, says a multi-agency task force was recently created, which includes a partnership with the nonprofit Journey Out that reaches out to victims of sex trafficking and LAPD, to increase patrols in the area.
