By Tim Broughton
Back Packed.
On Friday, February 25, at 12:30 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were on routine patrol in the area of the 1800 block of Alley Number Eight when they spotted a suspicious looking individual. The officers stopped and spoke with this man and discovered that he was on probation for a variety of narcotics violations. The officers asked this man if they could search his backpack and the man agreed. Upon searching the backpack the officers found bolt cutters, methamphetamine and drugs paraphernalia. The officers also discovered that this man had a warrant out for his arrest in connection with narcotics possession. The officers arrested this 39-year-old homeless man and he was later charged with possession of burglary tools, possession of methamphetamine and possession of burglary tools. Bail was set at $40,000.
He Went Underground.
On Saturday, February 26, at 9:52 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them about a subject that had been acting in a suspicious manner in the subterranean parking lot located in the 1400 block of Sixth Street. The officers hastened to the scene and spoke with several witnesses who told them that this man had indeed been acting suspiciously and loitering in the underground parking lot. The officers performed a physical sweep of the parking lot and spotted a vehicle that had a broken window. The officers carefully approached this vehicle and noticed that the suspect was hiding inside the car. The officers also notice that the vehicle had been ransacked and that there were numerous items strewn about the interior of the car. The officers invited the suspect to exit the vehicle and searched the man. The officers discovered that this 35-year-old individual was in possession of a third party’s credit cards. This man was arrested and charged with prowling, appropriation of lost property and an outstanding warrant. Bail was set at $1,000.
Two Cars, No Washroom, eh?
On Saturday, February 26, at 12 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that witnesses had complained about a man who was living in two motor vehicles in the 500 block of 15th Street. The officers were also informed that this man had been seen urinating in the street near his vehicles. When the officers arrived at the location they noticed that the man had attached Canadian license plates to one of the vehicles in order to avoid paying registration fees. The officers searched this man and found that he also possessed a fake California identification card and social security card. This resident of Calgary, Canada, was arrested and taken to jail where he was later charged with possession of the fake identification card and displaying the wrong license plates on his vehicle. Bail was set at $500.
Got Wood?
On Wednesday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to Fisher Lumber, located at 1600 Lincoln Blvd., in order to investigate a report of a battery that had just occurred. While en route to the location the officers were told that the suspect had assaulted several staff members while the staff members attempted to restrain the man. When the officers arrived at the location staff members told them that the suspect had been spotted exposing his penis and urinating in the store parking lot. An employee had challenged the suspect and asked him to leave the premises but the suspect had approached the staff member and had grabbed a steel protective helmet from the staff member. The suspect had then spat at the staff member and had swung the steel helmet at the staff member several times, striking the staff member. The suspect had then punched the staff member several times with closed fists. The victim had fought back and other staff members intervened but were also attacked by the suspect until they could suppress his efforts. The officers arrested the suspect, aged 56 and from Santa Monica, and he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $20,000. Santa Monica Fire Department Paramedics treated the victim at the scene of the crime.
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.
