Officials and residents in Beverly Hills have been left bewildered by President Donald Trump’s claims that people willingly leave their cars unlocked in the affluent California city to avoid being vandalized during a break-in.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, the president was defending his deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., as part of a crackdown on disorder in the cities before going off on one of his usual tangents to discuss Beverly Hills, where he used to own a mansion.
“I have friends, they leave their trunk open for their car because they know they’re going to be vandalized. They don’t want the trunk ripped off in order for them to steal what’s in the back,” Trump said. “So the criminals, when they go and open the door, they don’t have to break the windows and kill the car door to steal whatever it is in the car that they’re looking for.”
The president also claimed that he has a friend who leaves his garage door open all the time “so that people can just walk into his garage, take whatever they want and leave” without causing damage to the door.
“I’ve been told this by many people, stars, big people, they leave their doors open so the doors aren’t destroyed by these criminals,” Trump added. “All over Los Angeles, this is taking place.”
However, a city spokesperson told The Los Angeles Times they are not aware of any person in Beverly Hills who intentionally leaves their vehicles unlocked to prevent them from being vandalized.
Local resident Ian Campbell also questioned why Trump was trying to paint the city as crime-ridden. “I’m here all the time, and it’s always been safe and mostly calm,” Campbell told the LA Times. “I’ve never felt unsafe here.”
Noah Margo, president of the West Hollywood-Beverly Hills Democratic Club, also dismissed the claims from the president, known for his exaggerated and misleading remarks.
“As far as their validity, I can’t speak for every resident of Beverly Hills, but I would venture to say that most of us keep our vehicles locked,” Margo said.
Margo added that he believes Trump is trying to smear Beverly Hills while defending his tough-on-crime approach, as it has more national recognition than most U.S. cities.
“Although I find it ironic that he picked one of the least crime-affected cities in Los Angeles County,” Margo said.
The city of Beverly Hills and the White House have been contacted for comment by the Daily Beast.
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