Rampant Vandalism in Oakwood – Arrest of a Serial Vandal and Parolee-at- Large
Photo: Getty images
OAKWOOD – For those who’ve not heard of the town of Oakwood, it’s an important example of African American Southern-California life in the early 20th century. The neighborhood that is on the east side of the now-trendy Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, CA. served as a predominantly African-American neighborhood in between 1910-1920 – where the population tripled in Venice as many residents worked for the nearby wealthy white residents, and later, aerospace facilities.
Now, large numbers of Latino and White residents have also moved in, as the beach-adjacent area has gentrified. In 2007, Oakwood was described as one of the last ethnically and economically diverse beach communities in CA, until the end of the 20th century – when longtime residents were being displaced as homes sold for more than $1 million.
Fast-forward to this past weekend when a serial vandal made horrific marks in several tony areas near Lincoln Boulevard and Rose Avenue, Flower Avenue, and Vernon Avenue. Armed with a folding knife, several tires were slashed on multiple parked vehicles, and a window was shattered when a suspect threw a brick at a window.
The bike-riding suspect fled the area. Detectives from The Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division stepped in.
As a result of a thorough investigation conducted by Pacific Auto Detectives’ speaking with numerous witnesses and victims, and reviewing extensive evidence – a parolee-at-large, identified as Roland Morrow, was located.
The 48-year-old black male, weighing 220 pounds and standing at 6 feet 5 inches, was taken into custody without incident on 08/23/2021, and booked for violation of California Penal code §594 (B) (1) – Felony Vandalism.
As he was assigned the booking number 6236160, it’s important to note that the suspect’s bail has been set at “no bail” due to an unrelated parole warrant. The public’s assistance for additional information is requested, as LAPD asserts that early estimates place the value of the damage caused by the suspect in the thousands of dollars.
