By Tim Broughton
Nothing To Hide.
On Monday, April 10, at 3:30 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department who were on routine patrol in the area of the Santa Monica Pier were flagged down by several citizens who informed the officers that a completely naked man was walking westbound along the pier. The officers drove onto the pier and headed west and as they were proceeding along the pier numerous other citizens pointed in the direction of the naked man. The officers soon caught sight of the naked man close to the westerly end of the pier. The officers stopped their vehicle, exited and detained the naked man. The officers interviewed witnesses who told them that about 20 minutes prior this naked man had jumped off the west end of the pier into the ocean and had presumably returned to repeat his performance. This naked, 22-year-old Santa Monica resident was arrested and charged with public nudity and jumping off the pier. After being cited the man was given some clothes and released.
Deconstruction.
On Thursday, April 13, at 3:05 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a report of a “hot prowl burglary” (A hot prowl burglary is a sub-type of burglary in which the offender enters a building or residence while occupants are inside the location. The overarching intent of a hot prowl burglary can be theft, robbery, sexual assault, murder, or another crime) in the area of the 100 block of Hollister Avenue. The officers rushed to the location and as they were en route they were informed by dispatch that a juvenile witness had been monitoring his home’s surveillance feed when he observed the suspect enter through the front door. The suspect grabbed a purse and cellular telephone belonging to the witnesses’ grandmother. The suspect exited the house out the front door and the witness ran outside and notified his grandmother of the incident. The juvenile witness also told some construction workers what had happened and after pointing out the suspect to these construction workers the construction workers gave chase and were able to confront the suspect at the intersection of Third Street and Pacific Street. The officers showed up at that location and detained the suspect. After the juvenile witness had positively identified the suspect the officers searched the suspect, a 22-year-old Los Angeles resident, and retrieved the items that had been taken from the residence. This man was taken to jail and charged with burglary. Bail was set at $75,000.
They Smelled Trouble
On Thursday, April 13, at 5:50 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a call informing them that a burglary suspect was in the custody of loss prevention agents employed by Sephora (a chain of stores renowned for its high-end cosmetics and fragrances), located at 1244 Third Street Promenade. The officers went to Sephora and met with the loss prevention agents. The officers learned that the suspect had entered the store and had been seen to select numerous items from the display cabinets and that she had secreted these items upon her person, specifically placing them in her jacket and pant pockets. The suspect had then exited the store without attempting to pay for these items, whereupon the loss prevention agents had detained her. The officers were told that the items totaled $2,100 on value and that all the merchandise had been recovered. The suspect had also admitted to the loss prevention agents that she had taken the items with the intent to sell them on to an unnamed third party. The store was desirous of a prosecution so this 27-year-old resident of San Gabriel was arrested and charged with burglary. Bail was set at $20,000.
Maxxed Out.
On Thursday, April 13, at 4:45 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the TJ Maxx department store, located at 1251 Fourth St. in order to investigate a report of theft. When the officers arrived at the store they discovered that the suspect had been detained outside the store by the loss prevention agents after they had witnessed her enter the store with an empty large bag. The officers learned that the woman had then walked around the store and as she was doing so she had proceeded to fill the bag up with numerous items of merchandise. The woman had then exited the store with the bag and it was at that time that she had been detailed by the loss prevention agents. The store was desirous of a prosecution and this 59-year-old Inglewood resident was arrested and charged with stealing $101 worth of merchandise from TJ Maxx. After being cited this woman was released.
