‘Follow-Home’ Jewel Thief Is Convicted

A Van Nuys man was found guilty Monday of robbing nine middle-aged and elderly women of expensive jewelry after following them home from supermarkets in their Studio City neighborhood.

After deliberating for two days, a San Fernando Superior Court jury also found Claude Davis Jr., 38, guilty of attempting to rob a 10th woman and of inflicting great bodily injury on several of the victims, who ranged in age from 55 to 81.

Davis showed little emotion as the verdicts were read. None of the women were in the courtroom. Davis could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeff Ramseyer said Davis, wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, approached the women in the driveways or garages of their homes.

Ramseyer said Davis would ask the women for directions and attack them as they tried to help, usually punching them and knocking them to the ground. The crimes were committed between May and December, 1988.

During the trial, one 62-year-old victim testified that Davis suddenly lunged and punched her in the face with a clenched fist, knocking her down. She testified that he then sat on her and grabbed her by the throat before pulling three diamond rings off her fingers.

Ramseyer said that in some cases, Davis continued to beat the victim after he had gotten her jewelry.

One victim, a violinist, lost the use of one of her fingers, he said. Other victims suffered broken bones, the prosecutor said.

The jewelry pieces taken from the women, mostly diamond rings, were estimated to be worth between $10,000 and $30,000 each, Ramseyer said.

Davis was arrested with his sister-in-law, Karen Davis of Van Nuys, Jan. 11 of last year after a special police team spotted him loitering in front of a supermarket at Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards.

When police searched his car, they found black gloves and a briefcase matching the description of those used by the robber. Victims later identified Davis from photos and picked him out of a police lineup.

Although some victims said a woman drove the getaway car, no charges were filed against Karen Davis because none of the victims could identify her.

Defense attorney Martin Gladstein did not comment on the verdict. A date for sentencing will be set today.