FROM FOOTBALL TO DRIVE-BYS.
In a conversation with an SEU cop the other day, I was told that the VINELAND BOYZ gang is actually a migratory gang that used to claim NORTH HOLLYWOOD but were driven out or moved out due to pressure from other NH gangs. At one point in their move from NH to SUNLAND, they called themselves the VILLAGE BOYS. If anybody can shed light on this, feel free to correct me. This cop also pointed out that most VB players don't like to be inked and don't look like the average citizen's image of a gangster.

If you notice, DAVID GARCIA shows no visible tattoos in his mug shots. This goes back to the roots of the VINELAND BOYZ, which, according to this cop, began life as a football team. From the beginning, VB didn't dress down or get inked up and preferred a clean cut look. That footballer tradition apparently is still part of the VB code and you won't find much ink on guys who claim VB. They made the transition from ball players to tagging crews back in the mid 90s and by 1998 were heavily involved in drive-bys, slanging and tax collection. VB, of course, took a big hit when BURBANK PD and LAPD arrested dozens of players after PAVELKA's murder. While it may not be in shambles, VB isn't the hegemonic powerhouse it used to be. In the wake of police pressure, we heard that some shot callers in VB actually GREENLIGHTED every cop in the area. That may or may not be true. But the cops sure as hell believed it and it got them hotter than the last glass pipe at a CRACK HOUSE.