Hostage Crisis in Beverly Hills

Maybe it is just a coincidence, but--recently on the daytime soap opera a convict held three hostages at bay and demanded that a television crew be sent to the prison.

John Steven Livaditis, who broke into the Beverly Hills jewelry store at 10:0 a.m. June 23 also had hostages--and demanded that a television crew be sent in.

The only difference is that in the TV show the TV crew was permitted inside the prison and in the Beverly Hills robbery it was not.

I don’t say that the TV crew should have been permitted inside the store, but is this merely coincidence or did Steven Livaditis see that particular daytime soap opera?

Also--I have suggested this before--and so far it has fallen on deaf ears: One of the best security measures to be applied would be a fluoroscope--a medical device.

It shows an immediate picture of the person passing through the light rays indicating any weapons or illegal property being carried. This is better than X-rays which take time to develop.

WILLIAM OSTEN

Los Angeles