Police arrest armed robbery suspect, narcotics suspects
Police arrested a former UCLA student Wednesday night as the primary suspect in an armed robbery that occurred near the intersection of Strathmore and Hilgard avenues, according to university police.
The suspect, 22-year-old Abdul Khan, entered an apartment in 10919 Strathmore Ave. in the early morning on Sept. 28 with one other person, who has not yet been found. They tied up a man and woman who were in the apartment and took $200 in property and cash, according to the police report.
Khan allegedly brandished a firearm and knife during the robbery, said UCPD Sgt. Russell McKinney. One of the victims was hit in the face, but no medical treatment was required, according to McKinney.
Along with the robbery, Khan was also charged with selling narcotics out of two apartments on Veteran Avenue, McKinney said.
Khan was identified as a robbery suspect through a separate investigation involving the drug sales, McKinney said.
“He was out and about selling the narcotics and doing the robberies,” McKinney said. “(That is) our belief.”
For the last two weeks, police had received information about drug sales coming from 512 Veteran Ave.
A drug bust Wednesday morning revealed marijuana, ecstasy, prescription pills, heroine and cocaine in the apartments, as well as a handgun and a shotgun, said lead investigator Ethan Shear.
In addition to Khan, four other men who have been linked to the drug sales were arrested on Wednesday morning. A sixth man was arrested later that night, Shear said. One of the men, 21-year-old Philipp Bonushkin, is a current UCLA student, according to a police report.
Khan has a drug-related criminal history from Sonoma and was also connected to a robbery that happened in March on Midvale Avenue, Shear said.
Five arrests for robberies were made at UCLA over the summer, said Kristi Godines, UCPD crime analyst. The drug bust was one of two drug arrests for September so far, she added.
The suspects have been transferred to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, McKinney said.
Khan is being held on $405,000 bail for the robbery, Sheer said. Khan has a warrant from Sonoma, which prevents him from posting bail for selling narcotics.
Bail for the other five men has been set at $30,000.
