Santa Monica police arrested a 34-year-old homeless man on Friday, Dec. 27 after he stole a bicycle under surveillance then refused to stop and dismount.
Officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were conducting a periodic bicycle anti-theft operation at 11:30 am on this day in the 2000 block of Ocean Avenue.
This operation involved placing a bicycle out in plain view and then watch discreetly to see if anyone “took the bait” and attempted to steal the bicycle. After a short while a man approached the bicycle and then walked around it several times.
The man then sat down next to the bicycle and after a few minutes he mounted it and rode away.
One of the officers then broke cover and ran into the path of the bicycle in order to stop the thief.
The suspect ignored the officer’s commands to stop and dismount, and continued riding the bicycle straight at the officer.
The officer was forced to tackle the suspect and bring him, and the bicycle, down to the ground.
The officers arrested this homeless man and he was charged with theft, obstructing a police officer, and a violation of probation. Bail was not granted.
Editor’s Note: These reports are part of a regular police coverage series entitled “Alert Police Blotter” (APB), which injects some minor editorial into certain police activities in Santa Monica. Not all of The Mirror’s coverage of incidents involving police are portrayed in this manner. More serious crimes and police-related activities are regularly reported without editorial in the pages of the Santa Monica Mirror and its website, smmirror.com.
