Over Stimulated.
On Wednesday, October 12, at 6:16 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to investigate a case of indecent exposure that had occurred in the 2800 block of Ocean Front Walk. As the officers were en route to the location they were informed that a witness had seen the suspect fully expose his genitals and also touch and manipulate the genitals in a way that could be described as “self stimulating.” When the officers arrived at the location they spoke with the witness who pointed the suspect out to the officers. The witness was desirous of a prosecution so the officers arrested this 48-year-old homeless man and he was charged with indecent exposure. Bail was set at $10,000.
Drug Taking.
On Wednesday, October 12, at 1:35 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call requesting them to attend an audible burglar alarm at Drugtown Pharmacy, located at 802 Seventh Street. The officers drove to the location and when they arrived they noticed that the front glass door had been smashed and that the pharmacy had been ransacked with the cash register broken and merchandise strewn all over the store. The owner arrived at the pharmacy and after inspecting the stock told the officers that several items, including pharmaceuticals, were missing from the store. The officers secured the store and as they were doing so other officers conducted a traffic stop a few blocks away involving a vehicle that was suspected of being involved in the burglary. The officers searched this car and discovered numerous items that were consistent with items that the pharmacy owner had informed the officers had been taken from the store. All of these items were recovered and the three occupants of the car, a 25-year-old male Van Nuys resident, and two 20-year-old Van Nuys residents were arrested and charged with burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. Bail for each was set at $20,000.
Wild Surf.
On Friday, October 14, at 6:01 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that a woman was present at Surf Liquor, located at 2522 Main Street and that this woman was behaving erratically and swinging a knife at staff members. The officers rushed to the location and upon arrival they saw the woman in question inside the store. The officers noticed that this woman was, at that time, yelling and swearing at a store employee as well as the officers themselves. The officers gave the suspect multiple commands to comply with their orders for her to calm down and eventually this woman did as she was told and was taken into custody without further ado. The officers then interviewed the staff members who told the officers that this woman had entered the store and had proceeded to attempt to solicit money from several customers. The staff member added that none of the customers was willing to donate any money to this woman. He continued to tell the officers that the woman then picked up numerous items that were on offer for sale and that she put the items into her pockets. The staff member said that he had confronted this woman about these items and that she had reacted by removing a knife from her pocket and had started to swing said knife at him while simultaneously yelling at him. The suspect refused to identify herself at the scene but the officers arrested this woman and she was later identified at the Santa Monica Jail. This 23-year-old homeless woman was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and bail was set at $70,000.
Man At Apple Watched.
On Friday, October 14, at 9:58 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were requested to attend the Apple Store, located at 1415 Third Street Promenade in order to investigate a possible theft suspect who was being detained at the location by loss prevention agents employed by the store. Upon arrival at The Apple store the officers met with the suspect and the loss prevention agents. The officers spoke with the loss prevention agents who told them that they had noticed the suspect enter the store and had (due to their loss prevention agent training) deduced by the suspect’s body language that this person could possibly be intent on committing a crime. The loss prevention officers discretely watched as this man walked towards the Apple Watches display area. The loss prevention agents told the officers that this suspect then selected several Apple watches and conceal them upon his person. The suspect then exited the store and it was outside the store that the loss prevention agents apprehended this 44-year-old Santa Monica resident. All of the merchandise was recovered and the police were then summoned. The officers arrested this man and he was taken to jail where he was charged with theft before being released on $1,000 bail.
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.
