By Tim Broughton
An Open And Shut Case.
On Tuesday, December 6, at 7:45 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the area of Parking Structure Number Two, located at 1321 Second St. in order to investigate numerous sightings of a man who had been attempting to open car doors in the structure. The officers were advised that this individual had succeeded in opening the door of one of the vehicles in the parking structure and that he had removed some items from that vehicle. As the officers arrived at the location several witnesses pointed out a man who was running along Second Street. The officers detained this man in the 1400 block of Second Street. A few moments later a witness approached the officers and told them that this man was the one who had taken items from the parked vehicle so the officers searched the man and discovered that he was in possession of a laptop computer, a cellphone and a GPS device, all of which had just been reported as being stolen from a vehicle that had been parked inside the parking structure. The officers arrested this man and took him to the Santa Monica jail whereupon they placed him in a cell. Inside the jail cell there was a bed and a mattress that had been placed there for the comfort of the cell residents but this man decided to rip up and destroy the mattress instead of taking some time to relax. This 47-year-old Los Angeles resident was charged with vehicular burglary, possession of burglary tools, receiving stolen property and destroying jail property. Bail was set at $20,000.
Downgrader Upgrading.
On Thursday, December 8, at 2:53 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to The Apple Store, located at 1415 Third Street Promenade in response to an individual who was at that time being detained by the loss prevention agents at the store. The officers arrived at the location and discovered that this man had entered the store with two iPhones that he wished to “upgrade.” The officers were told that the store clerk had noticed that this man was acting in a suspicious manner and that had prompted the store clerk to do some detective work. The store clerk discovered that the transaction, valued at over $1,900, had not been authorized by the true owner of the iPhones and so the loss prevention agents had detained this man until the police arrived. The officers arrested this man and he was charged with grand theft, identity theft and fraud. Bail for this 35-year-old resident of Detroit, Michigan was set at $20,000.
Random Act Of Unkindness.
On Friday, December 9, at 2:30 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call requesting their assistance in quelling a fight involving two men that was in progress in the area of Fifth Street and Colorado Boulevard. The officers rushed to the scene and when they arrived they could see no sign of a fight. The officers were about to leave and patrol another area when a witness approached them and told them that the fighting men had moved to the 200 block of Colorado Boulevard. The officers then rushed to that location where they found two men who fit the description of the two fighting men. The officers investigated and discovered that one of the man had been walking southbound on Fifth Street when the other man had, for no apparent reason, began to verbally abuse the first man. The officers learned that the victim had attempted to ignore the suspect and had started to walk away but that the aggressor had chased after this man and had punched him in the face twice. The victim had then begun to run away but the suspect had chased him to the area where the officers had spotted them. The victim was desirous that this man be prosecuted so the officers arrested the aggressor, aged 36 and homeless, and he was charged with assault and battery. Bail was set at $20,000.
He Hates Things.
On Saturday, December 10, at 3:24 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the 2200 block of Lincoln Boulevard in order to investigate a report of vandalism that had just happened. The officers were told that a man had attacked and destroyed several flowerpots that had been placed in front of a business with the intent of beautifying the area. As the officers were en route to the location they received another radio call informing them that the same man was now attacking and destroying a newspaper stand in addition to violently assaulting several bicycles in the area of the 2600 block of Lincoln Boulevard. The officers raced to that location where they spotted this man and detained him forthwith. The officers then spoke with a witness who identified this man as the flowerpot attacker. The officers arrested this 27-year-old resident of Los Angeles and he was later charged with vandalism of property with a value of over $400. Bail was set at $20,000
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.
