Even the rich and famous are not immune to California’s raging crime crisis.
From Hollywood elites to tech moguls to politicians, California’s top residents have been victims of robbery, theft, and even murder, yet state leaders continue to insist the crime crisis is not as bad as it seems.
A recent crime in California that made national headlines was the murder of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor, who was shot and killed by a gunman attempting to steal a catalytic converter from his car, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).. Police said three suspects believed to be involved in the murder remain on the run.
Fox News contributor and former Washington, D.C. homicide detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital that Wachter’s killing was a convenience killing.
“This murder was committed by bad actors who wanted to steal the catalytic converter from Wachter’s vehicle. Unfortunately, Wachter was the victim because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Williams said.
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Ted Williams talks about recent violent crime in California and what needs to be done to improve the problem. (iStock/Fox News)
Wachter’s senseless murder is just the latest example of the rich and famous falling victim to the state’s crime crisis.
Technology executive Bob Lee, founder of Cash App and former chief technology officer at Square, was stabbed to death in April 2023 in San Francisco, California.
Last month, Farrah Aljufrie, the eldest daughter of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kyle Richards, was the victim of a burglary at her home.
Her stepfather, Mauricio Umansky, previously told Fox News Digital that she was fortunate that she was not home at the time of the break-in and was safe. The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department said the burglars stole jewelry and various personal items from the home.
LAPD releases new details about three suspects who killed ‘General Hospital’ actor Johnny Wactor
General Hospital star Johnny Wactor was shot and killed in downtown Los Angeles on May 25. He was 37 years old. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
Earlier this month, the daughter of San Francisco tech billionaire and Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield was kidnapped. The daughter, Mint Butterfield, was found safe and unharmed. The suspect was arrested in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, a notoriously high-crime area that is notoriously dangerous for minors.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ home has been burglarized twice already, once in 2022 and once last month.
“Unfortunately, crime is on the rise in America. If you look at California, particularly the Los Angeles area, it’s a crime hotbed. And the point is, all crime is local, so it’s going to take mayors, police, prosecutors and judges to do something about it,” Williams said.
“When you look at California, and particularly the Los Angeles area, it’s a den of criminal activity…”
Williams added that the bigger problem is a shortage of law enforcement officers.
“Crime is going to continue to rise because of a lack of law enforcement. One thing that the city of Los Angeles and other cities around the country need to do is hire more police officers to patrol the streets of their cities, especially Los Angeles,” Williams said.
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A photo of Kyle Richards and Farah Aljufrie standing side by side, along with police officers at Kyle and Farah’s home. (Getty Images)
Williams continued that when it comes to attacks on celebrities, the majority of incidents in Los Angeles involve criminals targeting high-value items like catalytic converters.
“If you look at Los Angeles, obviously, there are a lot of celebrities and movie stars living in Los Angeles, so they drive expensive cars, and these expensive cars have catalytic converters. These catalytic converters are very valuable, so you have thieves who steal the catalytic converters from these expensive cars,” Williams said.
Williams added that another factor behind high crime rates in California’s major cities is that criminals who should be in prison are back on the streets.
“Johnny Wactor is one of those people who should not have lost his life. But when you look at the overall crime activity, especially violent crime activity, not just in Los Angeles but in different communities across the country, there’s one common thread: these crimes are being committed by a lot of people who should no longer be on the streets. And as I’ve said before, there’s a lack of law enforcement in these different communities, which gives criminals a green light to commit their crimes,” Williams continued.
When asked if this increase in violent crime will change anything in the future, Williams said he’s not convinced the situation will improve.
“Unfortunately, I don’t see anything changing in the near future when it comes to crime in these areas. Crime is going to continue to increase. And unfortunately, there is a lack of police presence in these areas. So we expect crime to continue to increase in these areas as a result of that lack of police presence,” Williams said.
“Unfortunately, I don’t see anything changing in the near future when it comes to crime in these areas. Crime is going to continue to increase.”
The LA mayor’s alleged trespasser was “targeting” the bus, Gascón said. “He was looking for her.”
Karen Bass (via Getty Images) and Getty House (via Google Maps) (Getty Images, Google Maps)
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital that Wachter’s murder does not indicate an increase in crime in Los Angeles.
“Our office is committed to aggressively and fairly seeking justice for all victims of crime, regardless of their economic status or celebrity status. There is no indication that there has been an increase in crimes targeting celebrities in Los Angeles County. With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation and has a population larger than 42 states,” the district attorney’s office said.
In February 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan to crack down on rising crime in the Bay Area. Newsom said he would add 120 California Highway Patrol officers and prosecutors to help crack down on crime.
“Arrests alone are not enough,” Governor Newsom said in an earlier statement. “Justice demands that suspects are appropriately prosecuted. Whether it’s ‘bipping,’ carjacking, attempted murder or trafficking fentanyl, individuals must be held accountable for their crimes with the full and appropriate weight of the law.”
Mario Lopez accuses California Governor Gavin Newsom of being tougher on Skittles than on drugs and homelessness
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a press conference in Dublin, California, Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. Newsom, who has been hit by recent high-profile robberies at luxury stores, said he will request more than $300 million over the next three years to increase law enforcement efforts against retail theft and also address rising gun violence. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group via The Associated Press)
But Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods called Newsom’s plan a “bandage on a broken arm.”
“More prosecutors and police are not the answer,” Woods said in a previous statement. “We need housing, funding for community organizations, higher wages, jobs, and funding for schools, health care and mental health.”
The Governor’s office is touting Newsom’s $1.1 billion investment to “fight crime.” Increase the number of policeand improve public safety.”
Celebrity Mario Lopez also spoke out against the move. Governor Newsom When it comes to making California a safer place for its residents, his priorities are twofold: In 2023, Lopez posted a status on his X account, writing, “With crime soaring in California, the worst drug epidemic in history and homelessness at an all-time high… let’s focus on Skittles.”
The actor’s caption was in response to a news headline that read, “California becomes first state in US to ban Skittles and 12,000 other products for containing cancer-causing additives.”
Lopez said he was not able to solve the state’s crimes.e Homelessness is the real concern, not eliminating food dyes.
According to the Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaCalifornia’s violent crime rate increased 5.7% from 468 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 495 incidents in 2022. California has also seen an increase in violent crime since the pandemic began, according to the data. The state’s violent crime rate is now up 13.5% from 436 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2019, pre-COVID-19.
Kyle Richards’ daughter survives robbery at LA home in broad daylight
Violent crime has soared in the US during the pandemic, and some of the most brazen acts have involved minors. (Jason Almond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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Compared to pre-pandemic times, robberies decreased by 6.7% and rapes decreased by 0.7% in 2022, but the data showed robberies involving firearms increased by 12.5% in 2022 compared to 2019. Of the state’s 58 counties, 36 saw an increase in violent crime in 2022, with 13 counties seeing rates increase by more than 20%, according to the data.
Fox News Digital has reached out to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office for comment.
