[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Highlighted Activity for February 28 – March 6. - Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 437 service events, resulting in 84 investigations.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 1:05 p.m., a shoplifting incident was reported at a business in the 3300 block of S. Peck Road. Loss prevention was reviewing security cameras when they saw a subject tossing merchandise over a fence and into the county park area. They detained the suspect and an associate at the exit. Both were cooperative. The merchandise was recovered and returned. The suspect was arrested and issued a citation to appear in court on the shoplifting charges.
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 11:04 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1100 block of E. Huntington and conducted a traffic stop on a bicyclist for a vehicle code violation. During the stop, it was discovered the bicyclist was in possession of drug paraphernalia and narcotics. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
Shots Heard
February 29 at 2:24 a.m., police dispatch received three separate calls reporting approximately 4 gunshots in a rear alley in the 300 block of California. Officers responded and conducted an area check, but did not find any evidence of gun shots. The reporting parties were contacted; however, they did not see anything, but only heard shots. Officers continued to stay in the area, but nothing was located. The day watch shift conducted an additional search during daylight hours, but again, nothing was located.
Stolen Vehicle Recovered – Suspects Arrested
March 1 at 7:52 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers located a stolen motorcycle with a punched ignition at a motel in the 900 block of E. Huntington. Further investigation revealed the suspect was staying at the motel along with two other subjects who had warrants for their arrest. Additional officers responded to assist and all three subjects were arrested.
Battery/Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 2 at 12:17 a.m., a caller reported a physical altercation in the 700 block of S. Magnolia with a female screaming. Officers responded and learned that a boyfriend and girlfriend were sitting in their vehicle arguing. The female was intoxicated. A man walking past the vehicle tried to intervene because he thought the female needed help. The boyfriend exited the vehicle and became involved in a physical altercation with the man who tried to intervene. The boyfriend was arrested on a private person's arrest for battery and the girlfriend was arrested for public intoxication.
Driving Under the Influence/Warrant – Suspect Arrested
March 2 at 2:22 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation at Central and Myrtle. During the traffic stop, the driver was determined to be intoxicated and one of the passengers was found to have a warrant for his arrest. After further investigation and field sobriety tests being conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI and a passenger was arrested for a warrant.
Commercial Burglary
March 2 at 3:02 a.m., an alarm activation call was received for a business in the 900 block of S. Alta Vista. Officers arrived shortly after and discovered that forced entry had been made to the front door. A perimeter was set up and an interior search was conducted; however, the suspects had already fled the scene. One of the employees responded and indicated the suspects had ripped the alarm panels off the wall. It was unclear if anything was taken at the time. The business contains jewelry, however, all of the jewelry was secured. The investigation is continuing.
Shoplifting/Parole Violation – Suspect Arrested
March 2 at 4:36 p.m., loss prevention at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called to report a shoplifting incident in progress. Officers responded and waited for the suspect to exit the store, where they detained him. Store loss prevention made a private person's arrest of the suspect. The suspect was arrested and found to currently be on parole and was in violation on his parole. He was transported to the city jail.
Possession of Burglary Tools/Warrant – Suspect Arrested
March 2 at 8:04 p.m., officers observed two male subjects acting suspicious to police presence in the south alley of 100 W. Chestnut. As they approached the subjects, they saw they were wearing dark hoodies and had masks covering their faces. The subjects were detained. One subject had a warrant for theft and was also found to be in possession of burglary tools. The second subject was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Both suspects were arrested and later released with citations to appear in court on the charges.
Theft of Luggage
March 3 at 9:40 a.m., a theft of luggage was reported at a hotel in the 900 block of W. Huntington. The victim set his luggage out in front of the hotel and went inside. When he came back, he saw a male Hispanic subject in his 50's running away with his luggage. He lost sight of the suspect and called the police. The luggage contained his passports and other personal property. An area search was completed, but the suspect was not located.
Commercial Burglary
March 3 at 8:03 p.m., police dispatch received a burglary alarm activation at a commercial building in the 400 block of W. Maple that had been burglarized multiple times. Officers quickly responded and saw a boarded-up window had been forced open. An El Monte Police Department canine unit responded to the location to assist in searching the building. The interior was searched, but the suspect was not located. The owner responded and reviewed surveillance video of the break-in. It appears to be the same suspect from the previous burglaries and an unknown amount of cash was taken from the tip jar. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
March 3 at 11:35 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 800 block of S. Myrtle. The victim reported that someone had broken into his work vehicle. The victim saw a male and a female Hispanic inside his vehicle. The victim confronted the male suspect and began hitting him with his cane. Both suspects fled in a silver, Volkswagen hatchback. The victim did not find anything missing at the time. The investigation is continuing.
Hit and Run Traffic Collision/Driving Under the Influence
March 5 at 1:23 a.m., officers responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of Shamrock and Valley View. A motorist was traveling north on Shamrock and collided into a parked vehicle near the intersection. The impact was so severe it disabled both vehicles. The driver fled the scene on foot, but was quickly detained nearby. The driver was possibly under the influence of drugs, but due to his injuries, he was taken to a hospital for immediate medical aid. Charges are pending and the investigation is continuing.
Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
March 5 at 1:13 p.m., police received a call reporting a female subject trespassing at a vacant residence in the 400 block of E. Maple. An officer responded and found a female subject sleeping inside the residence covered up with a blanket. An officer made contact with the subject and she said she entered the location through an unlocked door. The officer searched the location and found no signs of forced entry. The subject was arrested for trespassing; she was booked and later released on a citation.
Arson
March 5 at 11:49 p.m., Monrovia Fire and Rescue requested officers respond regarding a suspicious fire in the 900 block of Monterey. Officers arrived and found a bush had been set on fire. They were also told by fire personnel that an earlier fire had occurred in front of the Unity Center on Chestnut. The self-serve library box had been set on fire about an hour earlier. An unknown suspect filled the book box with sticks and debris, and then lit the box on fire. The investigation is continuing.
Structure Fire
March 6 at 12:35 a.m., police dispatch received numerous calls reporting a structure fire at a residence in the 700 block of W. Colorado. Officers arrived and found the location on fire, and the fire had spread to an adjacent home. Multiple agencies responded to assist Monrovia Fire and Rescue with firefighting efforts, including Pasadena and Arcadia Fire Departments. Arcadia and Sierra Madre Police Departments also assisted with evacuations and traffic control. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Theft of Mail
March 6 at 3:56 a.m., dispatch received a call reporting two subjects stealing mail from a location in the 200 Block E. Foothill. They fled west on Foothill in a blue vehicle. Officers arrived and confirmed a theft had occurred. An area search was conducted, but officers were not able to locate the suspects. Investigation to continue.
Theft of Wallet From Shopping Cart
March 6 at 10:45 a.m., a female customer of a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported someone had taken her wallet and credit cards from her shopping cart while she was shopping inside the store. She discovered her wallet had been stolen when she went to checkout at the registers and pay. This investigation is continuing.
Theft of Purse From Shopping Cart
March 6 at 11:33 a.m., a theft of a purse at a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington was reported to police. The female victim reported that someone had stolen her purse and credit cards from her shopping cart while she was shopping the day before on March 5. This investigation is continuing.
Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
March 6 at 11:42 a.m., the owner of an unoccupied rental home in the 400 block of E. Maple called police to report a subject that had gained entry into the home somehow and was using it as their temporary residence. Officers arrived and found no-trespassing signs posted around the home. The subject inside was detained, and after an investigation, was arrested for trespassing.
Traffic Collision – Citation Issued
March 6 at 1:30 p.m., a caller reported two motorists had just collided into one another in the 900 block of W. Huntington. Officers responded and found no one was injured. After an investigation was conducted, the party at fault was issued a citation.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 6 at 7:31 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Myrtle and Alta Vista regarding a male subject that appeared extremely intoxicated. They arrived and found the subject, who displayed obvious signs of intoxication. The subject was too intoxicated to care for himself and was arrested for being drunk in public. He was held for a sobering period.
Arson
March 7 at 12:03 a.m., dispatch received numerous calls reporting a structure fire at a residence in the 800 block of W. Walnut. The residence was occupied by one male adult, who escaped injury. The Monrovia Fire Department arrived and put out the fire. The Police and Fire Departments are investigating the cause of the fire. Monrovia Police Detectives were called in to assist with the investigation. The investigation is ongoing.
