Thieves take more than $14G cash, 695 beach passes in Long Beach theft
Long Beach Police said three thieves broke into a city trailer on July 3 and stole nearly 700 beach passes worth about $20,000 and more than $14,000 in cash. Credit: Newsday/John Asbury
Long Beach police are looking for three people who robbed a city trailer Sunday night of more than $14,000 in cash and nearly 700 beach passes worth about $20,000.
Nearby residents called 911 about 9:40 p.m. Sunday to report a possible burglary in progress, said Long Beach Police Commissioner Ronald Walsh.
The suspects, whom police had no further descriptions of, pulled up to the city’s recreation ticket office in a light-colored SUV or station wagon on West Broadway at Laurelton Boulevard, police said. One person served as a lookout while the other two suspects pried open the locked door, Walsh said.
Two of the suspects entered the office and did not turn on the light while they emptied three cash registers, two cash drawers and a safe. The safe showed no signs of damage or forced entry, Walsh said.
The three suspects then sped away west on West Broadway before police arrived.
It was unusual for that much cash to be left in the office, Walsh said. In addition to the stolen money, 695 beach passes were taken, some worth up to $230 each for a nonresident family pass.
“No cash will be left here, ever again,” Walsh said. “I don’t think the target was the beach passes, it was the money. But if the beach passes show up, we’ll know about them.”
No reward has been offered.
The city’s beach pass ticket office is staffed by seasonal workers, usually minors, officials said. No seasonal workers were named as suspects, but police said they have not ruled out the possibility the theft was an inside job.
Police said they have been reviewing security at the ticket office and how to better protect cash transactions and beach passes.
Crime scene investigators canvassed the ticket office Sunday for forensic evidence, police said. The ticket office reopened for sales Tuesday.
“This is the first time this has ever happened, and we don’t anticipate a rash of thefts,” Walsh said. “We think this is a one-off and hope the public comes through as well.”
City officials are able to track serial numbers on the beach passes, and if anyone shows up to use a stolen one they will be subject to arrest and questioning, Walsh said.
Police seized beach passes being sold online during the height of the pandemic in 2020 when beach access was limited to residents only.
“I hope they put them on Facebook to try to sell them so we can catch them,” Walsh said.
Polce are asking anyone with information to call detectives at 516-705-7322.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
