Pistol At Dawn.
On Tuesday, August 24, at 4:45 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in order to investigate a report of a robbery. The officers, as they were en route to the scene, learned that there had been three suspects and that one of the suspects had been in possession of a handgun. When the officers arrived at the location they spotted three men who fit the description of the suspects. These men were standing at the top of the Santa Monica Pier ramp and the officers drew their weapons and ordered these men to stop and lie down on the ground. Initially these men complied with the officers’ commands but suddenly two of the suspects arose and began to run away. These men ran in a westbound direction further down the pier ramp. The officers gave chase and as these men were running down the ramp one of them dropped a handgun onto the ground. The officers caught these men and they were taken into custody in Parking Lot one North, located at 1550 The Beach. The officers arrested all three, one a juvenile, one aged 19 and from Los Angeles (charged with attempted robbery with bail set at $50,000) and the third aged 21 and from Los Angeles (charged with robbery, resisting a police officer and a parole violation-bail not granted).
Now You See It, Now You Don’t.
On Tuesday, August 24, at 4:35 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department, who were on patrol in the 2000 block of Santa Monica spotted a bicyclist who was performing a maneuver that violated a municipal code so the officers detained this person and after doing so the officers discovered that the man was on felony probation for a narcotics violation. The officers conducted a search of this man and as they were doing so the man attempted to discard a clear plastic baggie that contained an unknown white powdery substance (it probably wasn’t baking soda, it would be reasonable to assume). The officers arrested this 39-year-old homeless man and he was later charged with riding a bicycle on the sidewalk and destroying evidence. Bail was set at $500.
Multiple Personality Disorder.
On Wednesday, August 25, at 7:22 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call for service in regard to a violation of a municipal code that prohibits any individual from establishing a campsite in non-designated areas of the city. The officers went to the location of this campsite (the 2700 block of Ocean Park Boulevard) and talked with the suspect. The officers attempted to identify the suspect by asking this man what his name was but this man was somewhat evasive and gave the officers a variety of different names, varying from totally fictitious names to those belonging to individuals other than himself. The officers, exasperated by this man’s consistent inconsistency eventually arrested him and he was initially booked as a “John Doe” but later identified via fingerprints. This 28-year-old homeless man was charged with providing false information and appropriating lost property for his own use (namely the items utilized for the campsite). Bail was set at $5,000.
Whole Lotta Trouble.
On Friday, August 26, at 11:16 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the Whole Foods Market, located at 2201 Wilshire Boulevard in order to investigate a report of a man with a knife. When the officers arrived at the location they spoke with a Whole Foods employee who told them that the man in question had entered the store, approached the self-service buffet, picked up a plate and selected numerous samples from the extensive selection of apparently organic dishes that were on offer that day. The employee told the officers that after piling his plate high with the food items the man exited the store without making any attempt to pay for the food. The employee added that another employee had followed this man out of the store and had spoken to the man and reminded him that the food was not free and that he was required to tender money in order to enjoy the recipes. At this, the employee said, the man became aggressive and removed a knife that he had been concealing upon his person and brandished said blade towards the other employee. The suspect was then seen to run away with the food eastbound to Douglas Park, located at 2439 Wilshire Boulevard where he had apparently brandished the knife towards several individuals in the park and had also demanded cigarettes from these people. The officers went to Douglas Park where they spotted the suspect and apprehended him, in the process removing the knife from this man. This 32-year-old homeless man was arrested and charged with robbery. Bail was set at $50,000.
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.
