TARZANA (CNS) - A SWAT team was called this afternoon to deal with armed robbery suspects who were possibly barricaded in a commercial building in Tarzana, but no one was found inside when officers made entry nearly seven hours later.
The robbery was reported about 1:35 p.m. in the 18300 block of Ventura Boulevard, near Reseda Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
One man was taken into custody outside the building, which has several business tenants, but was released after questioning, police said.
Officers evacuated the building and a SWAT team was called in, according to Officer Mike Lopez of the LAPD's Media Relations Section.
A male suspect was believed to be holed up inside the building, possibly along with a female who was either a hostage or a suspect, police said.
“There was some initial phone conversations that took place with a female who detectives, at the time, believed was inside this illegal medical marijuana dispensary,” LAPD Sgt. Hector Guzman told KCAL9. “As we know now, she was not. So when the SWAT went in there and served the search warrant, they determined there were no people inside of that business.”
Four suspects, all male, were outstanding, police said.
“Whenever there is an armed robbery that occurs, whenever there are four suspects still outstanding, we have detectives working this crime 24/7 to get these people off the streets as soon as we can,” Guzman told KCAL9.
The stretch of Ventura Boulevard near the building was closed during the investigation.
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