[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 16 – December 22. - Brad Haugaard]During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 345 service events, resulting in 68 investigations.
Carjacking / KidnappingDecember 16 at 5:14 a.m., a caller near the intersection of Peck and Camino Real advised that he was just the victim of a carjacking. The caller and his girlfriend were asleep in his vehicle and were awakened by the sound of his vehicle starting and driving north on Peck. The victim jumped into the front seat and began wrestling with the male suspect who was driving the vehicle. The vehicle ultimately crashed into the center median in the 100 block of W. Duarte. The suspect got out of the vehicle and ran east out of sight. It appears the suspect was attempting to steal the vehicle and did not know the victims were in the back asleep. This investigation is continuing.
Outside Assist / Mental EvaluationDecember 16 at 4:04 p.m., two social workers requested the Monrovia Police Department’s assistance regarding a mental evaluation hold in the 200 block of Jasmine. Officers arrived and assisted the social workers. When the subject learned he was being placed on a hold, he became argumentative and refused to cooperate. Officers were able to restrain the subject and he was transported to a local hospital without further incident.
PursuitDecember 17 at 3:21 a.m., officers were patrolling the area of Hillcrest and Alta Vista when they saw a white BMW traveling east on Hillcrest passing them at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle sped onto the freeway. This investigation is continuing.
Court Order Violation / Warrant – Suspects ArrestedDecember 18 at 1:47 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Lime called to report a suspicious motorhome parked in a nearby parking lot with several people coming and going. Officers arrived and contacted three subjects they knew from previous encounters. One had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and another was in violation of a domestic violence restraining order. The two were arrested and taken into custody.
Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedDecember 18 at 10:25 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of S. Magnolia. One of the vehicles struck a parked vehicle and then drove around the corner. Officers contacted the driver who displayed signs and symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. The driver refused to cooperate. A warrant was obtained for the driver’s blood. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail for a sobering period.
Warrant – Suspect ArrestedDecember 18 at 10:51 p.m., officers were patrolling Station Square Park when they observed a subject loitering in the park after hours. Officers contacted the subject and during the investigation discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail.
Traffic Collision / Hit and RunDecember 18 at 10:55 p.m., a vehicle was traveling east on Evergreen when she entered the intersection at Myrtle on a green light. Another driver was traveling south on Myrtle and entered the intersection on a red light and collided into the vehicle. The vehicle at fault fled the scene of the accident before officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.
Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedDecember 19 at 1:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the intersection of Duarte and Mayflower regarding a driver slumped over the wheel. Upon arrival they contacted the driver and discovered he was displaying symptoms of being under the influence of drugs. The driver refused to submit to any testing. The driver was arrested and transported to a local hospital where a warrant was completed for a blood sample. He was then transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail for a sobering period.
Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the InfluenceDecember 19 at 2:14 a.m., a driver was traveling east on Foothill when she struck a boulder in the front yard of a residence at Mountain and Foothill. The collision spun the vehicle and came to rest prior to striking the residence. Officers arrived and detected the strong odor of alcohol emitting from her breath. She was disoriented and ultimately transported to a local hospital for treatment, where a blood sample was obtained and the results will be submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys’ Office for DUI charges.
Wanted PersonDecember 20 at 4:37 am, multiple callers reported that a wanted male was banging on the front door of the female victim's home in the 300 block of E. Palm. He was also yelling for the female to come out of the house. Officers arrived in the area but the male had already fled. This investigation is continuing.
Non-Injury Traffic CollisionDecember 20 at 4:44 am, a vehicle was traveling northbound in the 700 block of Ridgeside when an oncoming vehicle blinded the driver with its high beams. The driver swerved because she thought the vehicle was going to hit her and crashed into a tree. The driver was not injured.
Commercial BurglaryDecember 20 at 9:10 a.m., an employee of a convenience store in the 400 block of W. Foothill discovered their private locked office had been burglarized sometime during the night, possibly when the store clerk was helping customers. An unknown amount of money was stolen. This investigation is continuing.
Warrant – Suspect ArrestedDecember 20 at 2:47 p.m., a caller reported a suspicious male possibly sleeping in his car in the 100 block of N. Alta Vista. Officers arrived and located the subject. An investigation revealed the subject had a felony warrant for a weapons offense. He was arrested.
Drug Activity – Suspect ArrestedDecember 20 at 3:58 p.m., an employee of a gas station in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle reported a suspicious male subject in front of their store smoking unknown type of drugs from a glass pipe. Officers arrived and located the subject who was in possession of drug paraphernalia that had been used to smoke a controlled substance. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
Embezzlement – Suspect ArrestedDecember 20 at 4:08 p.m., security for a hardware store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported that they were detaining an employee who had stolen over $3,000 over the past couple months. Officers responded and after an investigation, placed the suspect under arrest.
Mental EvaluationDecember 21 at 8:48 a.m., a male adult subject entered the Monrovia Police Department lobby yelling profanities at personnel. He advised that he has a lot of guns and when asked if he had any with him, he told them that it was none of their business, as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Detectives responded to the lobby from the Detective Bureau to verify the subject was unarmed. He was found with not having any weapons on him. Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and a patrol officer evaluated him to determine if he should be placed on a 72 hour hold, however, he did not meet the criteria.
Wanted Person - Suspect ArrestedDecember 21 at 12:30 p.m., a mental hospital notified the Monrovia Police Department that they were releasing a subject from their custody after evaluating her for a couple weeks. The subject was wanted by MPD for felony crimes committed two weeks prior. The subject had intentionally burned her mother's house and killed the family dog. Officers responded to the mental hospital in Los Angeles and took custody of the subject.
Injury Traffic CollisionDecember 21 at 1:40 p.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another in the intersection of Foothill and Canyon, and one of the vehicles flipped onto its side. Officers and the Monrovia Fire Department Paramedics responded. The driver of the car on its side had minor injuries from the seatbelt, but did not want to go to the hospital. The driver found to be at fault was issued a citation.
Hate Crime/BatteryDecember 21 at 8:39 pm, multiple callers reported a fight in progress at a business in the 400 block of W. Foothill, between one of the business employee’s and an intoxicated male subject. Officers arrived and separated the parties. It was learned that the male subject entered the business and called the employee multiple racial slurs. The subject then grabbed the employee and pulled the employee's hair. The subject was arrested.
Driving Under the InfluenceDecember 22 at 1:30 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Colorado and Primrose. He stopped the vehicle and learned the driver had been drinking. After field sobriety tests, the Officer arrested the driver for driving under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail for a sobering period.
Grand TheftDecember 22 at 1:38 p.m., a resident in the 1700 block of Alamitas walked outside his home and discovered someone had stolen his work vehicle. Officers searched the area for the vehicle, but could not locate it. It was entered into the Department of Motor Vehicle's stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.
Grand TheftDecember 22 at 6:29 p.m., a witness called to report a theft had just occurred at a store in the 700 block of E. Huntington. Two male suspects entered the store and stole approximately $10,000 worth of merchandise from the fragrance aisle. The investigation is continuing.
ShopliftingDecember 22 at 7:27 p.m., employees from a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain contacted the police regarding a suspicious male who stated he was going to "shoot up" the store. Officers responded but could not locate the male. After speaking with employees, it was learned that a crime did not occur. At approximately 2300 hours, the male subject returned to the store and stole a pair of shoes, then fled on foot. Officers detained the male not far from the business. The male was identified by employees and was arrested for shoplifting.
Here are the winners of Monrovia Association of Fine Arts' Chalksgiving contest, a chalk-on-sidewalk art contest held in late November. Winners were selected on Dec 16. 
Dinner at Max’s, on the north side of Huntington kinda across the street from Target. Got the One Soft Taco plate with carnitas for $11.50 and a beer for $7. There was enough filling - and two tortillas - so I made two tacos. Very good!
Sawpit Debris Basin in north Monrovia is pretty well topped off with muddy water and debris from the latest rain.
Dinner at The Diplomat, on the north side of Lemon a few feet east of Myrtle. I’m usually a carnivore but decided to give the falafel ($12) a try along with a German beer ($8). The falafel - patties of bean paste deep fried - was tasty and filling. The humus and garlic paste gave it a nice tang. 
