The man accused of trying to rob a Montana Ave. jewelry store with a bomb has been sentenced to two years in state prison.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Robert Abalov (dubbed the “Bomber Robber” by authorities) was sentenced Monday after pleading no contest to one count of attempted second-degree robbery.
Detectives began looking for the 32-year-old Los Angeles man in February of 2018 when he walked into Curated Los Angeles at 1603 Montana Avenue holding a suspicious device and demanded jewelry. The suspect dropped the merchandise, jumped into a getaway car and hit several parked cars, injuring one person, before fleeing the area on foot.
A team of more than 30 officers, K9s and SWAT searched for the suspect immediately after the February incident.
Police quickly identified Abalov as their suspect and he eluded police for about three months before his arrest near the corner of Sepulveda and Venice Boulevards in West Los Angeles.
Abalov was initially charged with attempted robbery, criminal threats, malicious possession of a false bomb with intent to cause fear, false imprisonment, hit and run and grand theft.
The Sheriff’s Department Bomb squad disabled the suspicious device left behind, which had two small propane canisters, a charging device, a timer, cables and wires. A bomb squad robot inspected the device and detonated it. Officers later determined the device was inert.
