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Man fights off armed thieves targeting Rolex watch in West Hollywood

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Man fights off armed thieves targeting Rolex watch in West Hollywood

Surveillance video captured the moment three gunmen attacked a man who was wearing a Rolex watch while walking his dog in West Hollywood.

The victim, Rocco DiStefano, 29, who owns The Lab Athletic Club on Sunset Boulevard, said the incident happened on Tuesday in broad daylight at around 2 p.m. 

He was walking his dog on a sidewalk outside the gym when the armed suspects spotted him.

Video shows the gunmen pulling over in a black Cadillac sedan, quickly jumping out of the car and sprinting toward DiStefano. 

“When I turned around, it was three masked men running up to me,” he recalled. “One had a gun.”

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DiStefano is seen trying to run away from the trio but is quickly cornered near an elevator. The attackers kept shouting at him, “Take it off! We’re going to shoot you!”

  • Rocco DiStefano, 29, and his 4-year-old dog, Hercules in West Hollywood on Feb. 28, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Surveillance image of the suspects' black Cadillac sedan. (@thelabsunset)
  • The Rolex watch three armed men attempted to steal from Rocco DiStefano in West Hollywood on Feb. 27, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Three gunmen cornering the victim outside his West Hollywood gym on Feb. 27, 2024. (@thelabsunset)
  • Three gunmen cornering and beating the victim outside his West Hollywood gym on Feb. 27, 2024. (@thelabsunset)
  • The suspects running back to their getaway car on Feb. 27, 2024. (@thelabsunset)
  • Rocco DiStefano, 29, and his 4-year-old dog, Hercules in West Hollywood on Feb. 28, 2024. (KTLA)

DiStefano refused to lose his watch, clutching it tightly in his fist as the assailants knocked him down and began beating him.

“The adrenaline hit and they were on top of me, kicking me, punching me, pistol-whipping me,” DiStefano said. “I’ve never had a gun pointed to my forehead so the only thing I was thinking of was, ‘This is it.’”

DiStefano, who is also an amateur boxer, was able to put his skills to use as he began fighting back against the assailants. He eventually freed himself and ran to safety inside a nearby business. 

Empty-handed, the thieves were seen running back to their getaway car before speeding away.

The violent altercation left DiStefano with cuts and bruises on his head, but he said he escaped mostly uninjured. 

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“I don’t want to stop living my life because of these things but I’ll definitely be more cognizant of where I wear jewelry,” he said. “They’ll have to do a lot more than kick me and hit me to take me down.”

The victim’s 4-year-old dog, who was uninjured, was rescued by a passerby who witnessed the mugging take place. Reunited with his beloved dog, DiStefano said he is glad they are both unharmed. 

Authorities are investigating the assault and said a Metro bus that pulled up behind the suspects’ sedan may have captured the vehicle’s license plate and closer footage of the thieves. 

The three gunmen and the getaway driver all remain at large. Anyone with information on the assault can call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at 310-855-8850.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food

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Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food

Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]

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Los Angeles, Ca

Hospital needs help identifying man found unconscious in downtown Los Angeles

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Hospital needs help identifying man found unconscious in downtown Los Angeles

A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.

The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center. 

He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.

He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.

A male patient in his 30s was found injured in downtown Los Angeles on June 22, 2026. (Los Angeles General Medical Center)

He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.

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Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.

The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Clue may identify SUV in Long Beach hit-and-run that left woman injured

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Clue may identify SUV in Long Beach hit-and-run that left woman injured

Police are asking the public for help Wednesday in identifying a hit-and-run driver who left a woman badly injured in Long Beach late last month. The May 24 crash occurred around 11 p.m. as the victim was crossing East 2nd Street, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Video provided by police showed a dark-colored […]

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