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Attendant robbed in line of duty

By Daily Bruin Staff

Feb. 13, 1996 9:00 p.m.

Attendant robbed in line of duty

By Marie Blanchard

Daily Bruin Contributor

Jerome Hill, a UCLA student and parking attendant, thought he
was just helping another customer last week when he was approached
by a man asking for a refund on a parking ticket.

As Hill turned around to call his supervisor to OK the exchange,
the man suddenly pulled out a gun. While pointing it at Hill, the
assailant demanded all the money in the parking kiosk where Hill
was working.

Hill complied immediately, turning over $240. "I was in shock,
very scared, very nervous and very angry," the attendant said.

His kiosk was the second one robbed at UCLA in the last two
weeks.

In both cases, the victims described the assailant as a male
latino with a muscular build, short black hair and brown eyes.
Based on the victims’ descriptions, university police created a
composite of the assailant, which helped lead to the capture of a
suspect this weekend.

On Feb. 7, university police Detective Mark Littlestone saw a
man on campus who closely fit the composite. The detective took him
into custody for jaywalking, and questioned him in connection with
the kiosk robberies.

The suspect, who identified himself as Louis Robert Talamontez,
was booked on outstanding misdemeanor traffic charges. University
police received a warrant to search Talamontez’s residence in Bel
Air, and left convinced he was responsible for the robberies.

"I am quite sure this is the individual," said university police
Sgt. James Vandenberg.

Talamontez, who is unemployed and has no official affiliation
with UCLA, was arraigned on two counts of robbery in addition to
the traffic charges Tuesday.

But despite the police department’s swift response to the
robberies, the incidents have raised questions about the safety of
kiosk attendants in the minds of parking employees, officials and
police alike.

Although their are usually two attendants in kiosks at all
times, police said the gunman caught both victims while one of the
attendants was on break, leaving the other attendant alone.

But Mark Stocki, director of Transportation Services, said his
department is doing everything possible to minimize security
risks.

"Since these robberies, we have added more staff so that no
attendant is ever alone," Stocki said.

After the second robbery, Transportation Services also moved to
close certain kiosks earlier at night to minimize security
risks.

"We are losing money, but we have to do it," Stocki said.

Transportation Services is also considering installing security
cameras to help deter future robberies. Officials did not know how
much the project would cost, but acknowledged that it would be
extremely expensive.

"We are treating this thing seriously," Stocki said. "The
security and the safety of our employees is important."

But despite Stocki’s assurances, some kiosk employees said they
still don’t feel very secure.

Adrian Davis, a five-year parking employee and the kiosk
supervisor, feels that not enough is being done to minimize
security risks.

She harkens back to a series of kiosk robberies about five years
ago. Davis said that since those times "everything is still the
same" with respect to security.

"I just don’t feel like enough is being done; it seems that they
(Transportation Service) expect us to take our safety into our own
hands."

Davis would welcome a video surveillance system, but is
skeptical that cameras will ever appear in the kiosks.

"They’ve been talking about it for a while but … I still don’t
see any cameras."

Hill also has qualms with the way security for the kiosks has
been handled.

Since the first robbery, police patrols have increased markedly
around the kiosks, yet Jerome doesn’t feel completely
comfortable.

"Truthfully, since I’ve been back I am very cautious. I just
don’t feel very safe. The robbery only took a few minutes, even
with cameras, it’s just a matter of getting the money and
running."

But regardless of concerns about safety, all parties were
pleased with the police response to the robberies.

"The police was there within a minute of when I pressed the
alarm," Hill said. "They were very supportive even when I wasn’t
sure about doing the composites."

"They made themselves available for anything," Davis
agreed.Comments to [email protected]

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