Tourists robbed while riding a Metro train near USC

A man and woman visiting from Italy were on the Metro Expo Line as it approached the Exposition and Vermont Station when, in a flash, they became the victims of a robbery.

LAPD Southwest Lieutenant Kenneth Busiere tells KNX News' Pete Demetriou , "As the train was coming to a stop and the doors were opening, a young man got up and snatched the phone from the woman's hand and then exited the train - took off running."

With no provocation, no warning, leading police to call it a crime of opportunity.

Detectives say the couple was not injured, and they are pulling video from nearby cameras for any additional information.

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While this looks like a singular incident, police are warning people, especially those visiting from abroad, to be aware of their surroundings, to leave an area if they feel uncomfortable, and to keep valuables like phones out of sight unless they're immediately needed.

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