HOLLYWOOD — Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Burglary/Theft detectives have announced the arrest of Raj Weaver-Bey of Arleta for Identity Theft and are urging anyone with information about these or other crimes involving the suspect to come forward.

During a relationship with a victim, Weaver-Bey stole her ATM card after obtaining the PIN without the victim’s knowledge.  He then used the card to purchase laptop computers and money orders without the victim’s permission. Weaver-Bey was convicted of a similar crime in Santa Barbara in 2018.  

Detectives arrested Weaver-Bey on April 9, 2020.  When he was detained, Weaver-Bey had two ATM cards and several fraudulent checks.  Both owners of the cards told detectives they had recently been the victims of identity theft and theft by use of access card. One of the victims further stated an unknown suspect had deposited fake checks into her account and immediately withdrew cash before the checks cleared, causing a negative account balance.

Anyone with information is urged to call Hollywood Burglary Detective Brian Richardson at (213) 972-2929 or email him at 36402@lapd.online.  During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

LOS ANGELES — Today, Los Angeles County issued a new Health Officer Order to extend the stipulation in the previous Health Officer Order through May 15, 2020. The Order also requires essential businesses to provide a cloth face covering for all of their employees to wear while performing duties that involve contact with other employees and or the public and to post their physical distancing plans.

“Recent data modeling done in partnership with the Department of Health Services and UCLA suggests that our collective distancing efforts are working and that we must continue to stay home whenever possible,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “The updated Health Officer Order extends ‘Safer at Home’ through May 15, and enhances measures that will protect employees who are working in essential services.”

The public is also required to wear a face covering to enter essential businesses.  All public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit remain prohibited.  Beaches, trails and trailheads and non-essential businesses remain closed. It is critical that everyone continue to take these actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Order allows essential businesses to implement the new measures by April 15.

“Our community is embracing Safer at Home orders and is doing everything it can to flatten the curve,” said West Hollywood Mayor John D’Amico. “The revised order from LA County extends the stay-at-home timeline to mid May. Even though that seems like a long time – because I think it’s already April 97th – I want to encourage everyone in West Hollywood and say loud-and-clear: we can do this and we must stick with it. Humor and creativity will help: let’s all take a fashion challenge and ‘Cover That Face!’ with our fabulous homemade bandanas and scarves and we’ll each be doing our part to help protect ourselves and one another. Together we will defeat the coronavirus.”

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health also on Friday confirmed 18 new deaths and 475 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Over the last 48 hours, there have been 900 new cases. Ten people who died were over the age of 65; seven people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old and one person between the ages of 18 to 40 years old. One death was reported by the City of Long Beach and one death by the City of Pasadena.

There have been 101 confirmed cases confirmed in West Hollywood

To date, Public Health has identified 8,430 cases across all areas of LA County, including 241 deaths.  Upon further investigation, 22 cases and two deaths reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 2,043 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (24% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA county, with almost 40,700 individuals tested and 15% of people testing positive.

DHS also released its COVID-19 Hospital Demand Modeling Projections showing that physical distancing is slowing the rate of COVID-19 transmission in the county. The projections indicate that if current levels of physical distancing are not maintained, there will be an exponential rapid increase in the rate of infection, severely hampering the ability of the hospital system to meet that demand.

The insights from this modeling effort in large part informed the County of Los Angeles Dept. of Public Health’s decision to extend the ‘Safer at Home’ order until May 15, 2020.

“Physical distancing has ‘flattened the curve’ by slowing the rate of transmission of the virus.  Because of this, our healthcare system is able to meet the demand for treatment for COVID-19 patients, providing quality lifesaving services to all those who need them,” DHS Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said. “However, we need to remember that while, yes, transmission is slowing, we are still on a growth curve, and thus need to maintain the public health interventions in place. Physical distancing is the single biggest action we can take to continue to fight this virus. If we went back to life as normal today, by late summer the vast majority of Los Angeles County residents would likely have experienced infection with the virus, putting excessive strain on the healthcare system.”

The modeling team was tasked with taking available data and making the best possible predictions regarding the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County and associated demand for hospital-based care including hospital beds, intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and ventilators. The team assessed the effectiveness of current physical distancing efforts in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and “flattening the curve.”

The predictive analysis which models the impending surge provides a depiction of the best- and worst-case scenarios for Los Angeles should physical distancing efforts continue and to what degree. The model projects that if we reverted to pre-order physical distancing behavior now, by August 1, 95.6% of Los Angeles County residents will likely have been infected over the course of the pandemic. Under this worst-case scenario, Los Angeles County would face an infection rate at such magnitude that the healthcare system would not be able to treat patients who need hospitalization, underscoring the need to continue to maintain current levels of physical distancing.

  *These numbers are subject to change based on further investigation. Twenty-two previously reported cases and two deaths were not in Public Health’s jurisdiction

 **– means that case numbers are suppressed (between 1 and 4 cases in communities <25,000 people).

 ***Rate is crude and is per 100,000.

 Los Angeles County Announces Six New Deaths Related to 
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) with 344 New Cases of Confirmed in Los Angeles County today.

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed six new deaths and 344 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  All of the five deaths reported yesterday occurred in people over the age of 60 who had underlying health conditions. Additional information regarding some of the new cases is pending further investigation. Over the last 48 hours, there have been 601 new cases.

West Hollywood is up to 50 cases. Beverly Hills has 21, Hollywood 38, Hollywood Hills 23, Melrose area 56. The County was previously reporting Park La Brea numbers but has made changes to the current report that does not include this at a distinct stat.

To date, Public Health has identified 1804 cases across all areas of LA County, including 32 deaths.  Upon further investigation, three cases reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 398 positive cases (22% of positive cases) have been hospitalized.

On March 27, a Health Officer Order was issued to temporarily close all beaches and hiking trails throughout the entire County due to recent dramatic increases in COVID-19 cases, and increased usage of beaches and hiking trails by many groups of people.  It is imperative that everyone, collectively, take action to slow the spread of COVID-19. County and City Parks may remain open for passive recreational activities. Persons using the parks are required to practice social distancing at all times.  The Order will continue through April 19.

“We are sad to announce six additional deaths from COVID-19 today,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Los Angeles County Public Health Director. “More than ever, it is crucial that we practice social distancing, and if we are sick, even with mild illness, we make every effort to self-isolate from others for at least 7 days.  Those who have been in close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19 should self-quarantine for 14 days.   Please do your part to not infect others or become infected yourself by adhering to the public health directives and practicing social distancing whenever you do go outside. If we all commit ourselves to stay home, stay away from others when sick, and stay 6 feet apart when out, we will save lives. “

Public Health has issued the following guidance for people with mild illness during this time of increased spread:

• If you are mildly sick, stay home for at least seven days and until 72 hours after being fever and symptom free. Call your doctor if you are concerned and/or your symptoms worsen. Individuals who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick.

Additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Please see the locations were cases have occurred:

 *These numbers are subject to change based on further investigation; three previously reported cases were not in Public Health’s jurisdiction.

 **– means that case numbers are suppressed (between 1 and 4 cases in communities <25,000 people).