Officers on extra patrol near Cloverfield Boulevard and Pearl Street in Santa Monica spotted the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.
By Carlos Reyes
Santa Monica police arrested two men early Monday after stopping a vehicle with an altered license plate and finding burglary tools, copper wiring, stolen property and other items inside, authorities said.
Officers on extra patrol near Cloverfield Boulevard and Pearl Street spotted the vehicle about 2:01 a.m. Aug. 3 and initiated a traffic stop near 25th Street and Pearl Street, according to a statement from the Santa Monica Police Department.
Driver Walter Hernandez, 28, was found to be driving without a valid license. Officers also saw open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. A search turned up burglary tools, about 10 feet of heavy-gauge copper wiring, drug paraphernalia, multiple vehicle key fobs, two license plates that did not belong to the vehicle — one reported stolen from a BMW — and three cellphones wrapped in clear tape inside a backpack, police said.
Hernandez and passenger Cristian Alberto Portillo, 41, were arrested on suspicion of possessing burglary tools, theft of copper wire, possession of stolen property and criminal conspiracy. Hernandez faced additional charges related to the altered plate, driving without a license, possession of an open container and possession of drug paraphernalia. Portillo also had an outstanding felony warrant from Ventura County for grand theft and criminal conspiracy, the department said.
The vehicle was towed and the recovered property booked into evidence. Detectives are investigating the origin of the copper wiring, license plates, key fobs and other items.
