2 Studio City Shops Report Gunfire : 5 Businesses Receive Extortion Threats

At least five businesses along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City have received extortion threats in the past month, and two of the businesses were shot at last week, Los Angeles police said Tuesday.

Telephone callers have offered the merchants “protection” at a price of from $200 to $400 a month, Detective Jim Wegman said.

Police began investigating after two businesses, Barron’s Hair Studio and Joie De Vie Pets & Supplies & Grooming, each reported finding five bullet holes in their front windows Friday morning, Wegman said.

Also on Friday, he said, a third business reported receiving a telephoned threat that referred to the damage to the two businesses and asked for protection money. Detectives later learned that two more businesses have received similar calls in recent weeks, he said.

Police would not name the threatened businesses that were not vandalized.

“We don’t have any idea, at this point really, whether it’s an organized group of people or just an individual,” Lt. Ron LaRue said.

Owners of the two businesses that were vandalized told police someone called them about four weeks ago soliciting money for protection, Wegman said.

The pet store was told it needed security for its animals “so they don’t get hurt,” employee Kimberly McCall said. Store owner Frank James hung up on the same caller two weeks ago, she said.

“At first we thought it was a crank,” McCall said.

But the caller called again Friday morning after the shooting and asked “did we get his message,” she said.