Follow-Home Thief Suspected in 2 Incidents

Two weekend robbery attempts in Tarzana and North Hollywood, including one in which two people were shot, may be connected to a string of robberies in which drivers of expensive cars have been followed home and robbed, Los Angeles police said Monday.

No arrests were made in either incident, but police said both are similar to 28 other robberies or attempted robberies that have occurred since October.

In the first of the latest incidents, John Koudsi, 53, drove his Mercedes-Benz from his Beverly Hills home to the North Hollywood home of his 80-year-old mother, Linda Koudsi, about 6 p.m. Saturday, police said.

When John Koudsi reached the door of the Bellingham Avenue home, he was approached by a man with a gun who demanded his Rolex watch. While the robbery was taking place, Koudsi’s mother opened the door and the robber fired two shots at them, police said.

Mother, Son Hit

Lt. Ron LaRue said the first shot hit Linda Koudsi in the finger and struck her son in the leg. The second shot struck John Koudsi in the lower torso. The robber fled without taking the watch.

LaRue said that shortly after the shooting, Linda Koudsi suffered a heart attack. Both she and her son were taken to an undisclosed hospital, where they were in stable condition Monday, he said.

LaRue said it appears that John Koudsi was followed to the home before the robbery attempt.

On Sunday night, a similar robbery attempt occurred in Tarzana, police said.

Lt. William Gaida said a 60-year-old man, whose identity was not released, was driving a Mercedes-Benz from Century City to his home on Hermano Drive when he noticed that he was being followed.

“He was aware of the recent robberies and was watching his rear-view mirror,” Gaida said.

The man made several turns in an effort to lose the car following him and when he believed he had been successful, he continued home, Gaida said. But as the man pulled into his driveway, he saw the other car. He quickly backed out of the driveway and the other car sped away.

Gaida said the driver tried to follow the car but lost it. When he returned home a few minutes later and stopped his car, he was immediately confronted by a man with a handgun. The driver started blowing his car horn and the gunman ran away.