Monrovia Police: Stealing Power for Hydroponic Marijuana; Armed Robbery, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 30-February 2. - Brad Haugaard]
 
Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 30 at 4:09 p.m., an officer on patrol observed a male subject at a park in the 300 block of South Myrtle who he knew had an outstanding warrant.  As the officer walked toward the subject to contact him, the subject tossed his backpack behind him.  The officer saw what appeared to be a handgun behind the subject.  The officer drew his weapon and detained the subject and others near him.  The handgun turned out to be a BB gun.  The subject was arrested for his outstanding warrant.

Narcotics Search Warrant – Suspects Arrested
The Monrovia Police Department Special Enforcement Team was conducting a narcotics investigation and information led them to a location in North Hills, California.  On January 31, Monrovia’s Special Enforcement Team with the assistance of the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT) served a narcotics search warrant at an address in the 15000 block of Lassen in North Hills, California.  At 7:10 a.m., LA IMPACT safely served the search warrant and Monrovia’s Special Enforcement Team conducted the investigation.

The investigation uncovered a working hydroponic marijuana grow house which included three rooms with sophisticated equipment and 244 plants.  Inside the living area of the house, $1,800 and approximately 11 pounds of dried marijuana was seized.  Since it appeared the suspects were stealing power by bypassing the electrical box, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power investigators were notified.  They responded to the location and confirmed the theft of electricity.

Two adults, one male and one female, were arrested and taken to the Monrovia Police Department, where they were booked and charged for cultivation, possession of marijuana for sales and grand theft.  As the theft of electricity being investigated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is ongoing, police released the two suspects, pending further investigation.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 31 at 9:33 a.m., Monrovia officers assisted the West San Gabriel Valley Anti-Crime Task Force in conducting an address verification and compliance check on an individual that resides in the 700 block of West Foothill.  The subject was located and arrested for a parole violation warrant.  He was booked and then taken to county jail.

Commercial Robbery
February 2 at 10:15 p.m., a robbery was reported at a business in the 300 block of West Huntington.  Two suspects tried to enter a store on Huntington, but the front door was locked and the store staff would not open the door.  The two suspects then walked across Alta Vista to another business and both suspects entered the store.  One of the suspects showed a semi-automatic weapon and demanded money.  The employee complied and gave money to the suspect.  The same suspect then ordered the employee and a customer to the back of the store.  Both suspects then fled the location in an unknown direction.  The investigation is continuing.