March 23, 2023 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica High Teens Busted After Stealing “Balance Board’ From Student: Alert Police Blotter: Un-Balanced.

Two local students were arrested and later released into the custody of their parents on Thursday, Nov. 12, after admitting to stealing a “balance board” from a fellow student. 

This story began on Friday, Oct. 23, when, on the night of the Santa Monica High School’s homecoming game, two freshmen were walking home from the game when an assault took place. 

Officers were called at that time to attend to the report of assault in the area of 17th St. and Oak St. When the officers arrived they spoke with the victim who told them what had happened. 

The victim, a juvenile, told the officers that as he and his friend were walking home from the game they were approached by a pair of fellow students. 

He said that he had been riding his “balance board” (a type of small two-wheeled electric scooter) and that one of the fellow students had asked if he could borrow the balance board to try out. 

The victim agreed and the fellow student rode around on the balance board for several minutes while they all watched. 

Suddenly the fellow student fell off the balance board and hurt his knee. 

The victim, who wasn’t enamored by the idea of allowing someone who he barely knew use his balance board took the opportunity to retrieve the balance board and leave with his friend.

He said that as they began to walk back to their homes the two fellow students suddenly approached from behind the victim and his friend and that the first one had pushed him to the ground and had then started to punch him. 

As that was happening the other fellow student had picked up the balance board and had attempted to run away, but the victim had tried to grab the balance board but had been punched again by the first fellow student. He said that both of these fellow students had then ran off southbound on 17th St. 

The victim told the officers that although he did not know the names of these suspects he had recognized them from school and was sure he could identify them if he saw them again. 

The responding officers forwarded their report to Youth Services detectives. 

On Wednesday, Nov. 11 the victim met with investigators and identified the suspects after being shown a school photograph book. 

The following day, Thursday Nov. 12, both of these boys were arrested and charged with strong-arm robbery before being released to the custody of their parents. 

However, later that same day, additional information surfaced that suggested that it was two other boys who were the suspected assailants in this case and detectives interviewed both of them. 

These two students confessed to taking the balance board and added that they had ditched it in a dumpster near one of their residences. These two were thus cited for the crime and released to the custody of their parents. The balance board was never recovered.

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.

in News
Related Posts

Gasolina Cafe Owner, Sandra Cordero, to Open New Tapas Bar in Santa Monica

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Tapas bar expected to open late spring in former Heroic Italian space at 516 Santa Monica Boulevard  Sandra Cordero, the...

California’s AB 1217 Could Supersede Costly Outdoor Dining Permits Proposed by Municipalities

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

Legislation would preempt local ordinances and preserve regulatory flexibility for struggling neighborhood restaurants By Sam Catanzaro A new bill proposed...

Emerging Artist Jesse Liu Opens First-Ever Exhibition in Venice Gallery

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

“Spring Fever” currently on display at Yiwei Gallery By Keemia Zhang Local artist Jesse Liu has opened her first solo...

Santa Monica Place Invites LGBTQIA+ Artisans to Apply for Made With PRIDE Marketplace

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Partnering with Streetlet, the marketplace will take place each weekend in June and showcase local goods made in Southern California....

Santa Monica Councilmember Phil Brock Appointed to National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education, and Families

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Brock to collaborate with group of local leaders to develop and guide programs for communities across the country Santa Monica...

Santa Monica Receives $70,000 Donation From Kiwanis Charities for Scoreboards in Two Parks

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Donation will fund the installation of new scoreboards at Historic Belmar Park and Los Amigos Park The Santa Monica City...

Should Santa Monica Close the Airport?

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Santa Monica City Council recently voted to begin the process of closing Santa Monica Municipal Airport. The decision was kick-started...

City Council Puts Plan for Use of Parking Lots for Affordable Housing in Motion

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Sites are located at 1217 Euclid Street, 1211-1217 14th Street and 1146 16th Street By Dolores Quintana ​​During the Santa...

Santa Monica Warns Residents of Crypto Ponzi Scheme

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

City says 30 + households in Santa Monica have reported being victimized by CryptoFX, LLC Over 30 households in Santa...

Man Arrested for Sexual Assaults Targeting Homeless Victims

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

Anthony Pittman faces rape charges in connection to series of sexual assaults A West Hollywood man has been arrested in...

SMa.r.t. Column: Going Bare

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

(part 3 of 3 articles) Every City faces periodic interruptions to its normal life. Some interruptions in our City are...

Santa Monica Mall Owner, Macerich, Finds Way Out of Retail Property Crisis

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

Move comes amidst a crisis for retail property owners, with loans coming due for refinancing with much higher interest rates...

Historic Santa Monica Property “The Witbeck House” Listed for Sale at $22.5M

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

Greene & Greene-designed home features 26,000+ square foot lot with five bedroom home A historic property known as The Witbeck...

New Affordable Housing Complex Completed in Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood

March 18, 2023

March 18, 2023

Las Flores offers 73 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at 1834-1848 14th Street By Sam Catanzaro Community Corp. of Santa...

Are You Staying in Santa Monica Over the Summer?

March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

Spring is officially here, which means summer is just around the corner. Santa Monica residents, what are your travel plans...