The Santa Monica Police Department Is Continuing Its Investigation
A Santa Monica man has been arrested and charged with felony vandalism in connection with the destruction of over 300 city-owned water meters, causing approximately $45,000 in damages, according to local authorities.
On June 5, officers responded to a multi-unit residential complex in the 2100 block of Ocean Park Boulevard after the building owner reported that wires to his sprinkler system control box had been cut. Surveillance footage from May 31 showed a male suspect tampering with the sprinkler box around 8 p.m. The suspect was seen jumping over the gate into an alley, opening a city water meter box, and cutting the wires inside. He then walked east in the alley south of Ocean Park Boulevard.
Officers canvassed the area and discovered that seven additional city-owned water meters had been vandalized. By mid-July, the City of Santa Monica Water Resources administrator reported that a total of 304 water meters had been similarly damaged across several weeks. Most of the damaged meters were located in an area bordered by 14th Street to 25th Street and from the I-10 Freeway to Ashland Avenue, with another cluster of incidents occurring between Ocean Park Boulevard and Pico Boulevard.
On August 13, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Santa Monica, where they collected evidence linking 51-year-old Richard Martin to the vandalism spree. Martin, who has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, felony elder abuse, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, was arrested and charged by the District Attorney’s office with felony vandalism.
The Santa Monica Police Department is continuing its investigation and urges anyone with information regarding this incident or the suspect to contact Esteban.Hernandez@santamonica.gov.
