By Tim Broughton
Unhappy Diner.
On Friday, February 2, at 10:50 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to Denny’s Restaurant, located at 1560 Lincoln Blvd. in order to investigate a report of vandalism. The officers had been informed that a man had thrown a skateboard through the window of the eatery and that the restaurant manager and a security guard from the business had chased the suspect westbound on Colorado Avenue. The officers raced to the area and spotted the likely suspect standing at the Fourth Street Metro Exposition Line station. The officers detained this individual and returned with him to the Denny’s restaurant. The officers then interviewed the security guard from Denny’s as well as other Denny’s staff members. The officers learned that the suspect had entered Denny’s and sat at a booth whereupon he ordered a hamburger. When the hamburger arrived at the suspect’s table he suddenly became enraged and began yelling at everyone inside the restaurant. At that moment the security guard approached the suspect’s table and requested that he leave the premises. The suspect exited the building (while still yelling) but when he got outside he slammed his skateboard into a window pane causing the pane to shatter. After the staff members from Denny’s had positively identified this 27-year-old Bellflower resident the officers arrested the man and he was taken to jail where he was later charged with vandalism-over $400. Bail was set at $20,000.
Resistance is Futile.
On Saturday, February 3, at 8:38 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department, who were on patrol in the area of the 1500 block of Second Street, spotted two suspicious looking people loitering near a dumpster on the street. The officers approached these individuals and began to chat with them in a conversational manner. During the chat the officers asked the male and female pair if they had any drugs or weapons upon their persons. The female subject said that she possessed a knife while the male individual stated that he had a narcotics smoking pipe on him. The officers searched these two people and decided to arrest them both. While the officers were attempting to put the female in the car she became aggressive and began to resist forcefully. The officers overcame her efforts and they were both transported to jail. The female, aged 38 and homeless was charged with resisting arrest and possession of a dirk or dagger while the male, aged 40 was booked for possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Bail for the female was set at $25,000 while the male was granted bail of $500.
Not Lovin’ It.
On Saturday, February 3, at 12:04 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the McDonald’s fast food restaurant, located at 1540 Second St. in order to investigate a report of suspicious people at the restaurant. When the officers arrived at the location they spoke with the security guard who told them that he had earlier spotted a man sleeping at a table in the restaurant and that the man had not purchased any food. The security guard said that he had awoken this man from his slumber and at that time the man became enraged and started to yell obscenities at the patrons of the business. The suspect then walked over to the registers at the counter and his outlandish behavior had the effect of prohibiting anyone else from ordering any food. After a few minutes of the repeated outbursts it was the suspect who had used his own cellphone to call the police and report that there were suspicious people at the location. The restaurant management was desirous of a prosecution so the officers arrested the suspect, aged 32 and from Los Angeles and he was later issued a citation for interfering with a lawful business.
Concealed Evidence.
On Sunday, February 4, at 11:40 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that a man was exposing his genitalia in the Virginia Avenue Park, located at 2200 Virginia Ave. The officers hastened to the scene and spotted the suspect, who by that time had returned his genitals to a concealed state but he was in illegal possession of a shopping cart belonging to the office supply store, Staples. The officers arrested this 52-year-old Los Angeles resident and he was later issued a citation for unlawful possession of a shopping cart. Bail was set at $500.
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.
