Four UCLA students imprisoned in apartment Sunday
By Sarah Ravani
Jan. 12, 2010 10:04 p.m.
At 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, two men entered an apartment on the 400 block of Landfair Avenue with a gun, police said.
Four UCLA students were in the apartment at the time.
One man walked into the apartment and intimidated the four students by lifting his shirt and revealing a gun that was tucked into his waistband, according to UCPD spokeswoman Nancy Greenstein.
A second man joined him, and both stayed in the apartment for approximately three hours.
The two men then left the apartment without explanation and continued to loiter in the courtyard of the apartment building.
The men are described in a police statement as in their mid 20s, about 5-feet-9 and 5-feet-10 and Armenian.
Police are still investigating how the trespassers were able to get into the apartment.
The incident has been labeled a “false imprisonment” because, although the two men did not commit robbery, they held the students in the apartment against their will, Greenstein said.
The incident was not reported to police until 43 hours after it occurred, and detectives are just now beginning to investigate the case, Greenstein said. It is important for students to report a crime immediately because evidence can be lost and witnesses might forget specific details about the crime, she said.
Students are also advised to lock their doors and to be aware of who comes into their homes, even if they are hosting a party, she added.
Police believe this incident is not linked to any other crimes that may be occurring in Westwood, Greenstein said.
