Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler became a victim of theft last month outside a horse racing track in a Los Angeles suburb where he was robbed of an expensive watch, according to police reports. This incident occurred at the Santa Anita Park horse racing track in Arcadia, and is believed to be the work of organized gangs who target high profile individuals with expensive items in large crowds during popular events. Police confirmed that there were two similar incidents on the same day at the same venue. This incident happened shortly after Buehler’s last regular-season game and days before the Dodgers began the National League Divisional Series against the San Diego Padres.
Earlier in August, San Francisco 49ers player, Ricky Pearsall, fell victim to a similar crime. Pearsall was walking alone to his car after shopping at luxury stores in San Francisco’s Union Square when he was robbed at gunpoint by a teenager. The thief stole Pearsall’s Rolex watch along with other expensive jewellery he was wearing at the time. A struggle ensued and gunshots were fired, injuring both Pearsall and the teenager.
Pearsall sustained an injury, being shot through the chest at close range as his mother, Erin Pearsall, later confirmed. Despite the severity of the injury, the bullet travelled through the right side of the player’s chest and out the back without damaging any vital organs. Pearsall was discharged from hospital one day after the incident, fortunate to have survived such an ordeal.
These thefts come amidst growing concern about crime in the state of California. Videos of so-called ‘smash-and-grab’ thefts have been frequently captured in cities from Los Angeles to San Francisco and widely circulated on social media. These videos serve to amplify fears about the escalating rates of crime, prompting calls for more stringent measures to curb these incidents.
A ballot measure will be coming up soon for Californian voters, offering them a chance to reconsider a 2014 law which downgrades many nonviolent thefts from felonies to misdemeanors. This move was aimed at reducing the state’s prison population, but many are now questioning its impact on escalating theft rates.
Major League Baseball and the National Football League have both expressed concern over these incidents involving their players. The focus now is a combined effort to provide better security for all its players, especially when attending public events. Both bodies have urged their players to exercise heightened caution, especially when wearing high-end items in the public.
