By Tim Broughton
Car Jacketing.
On Monday, September 18, at 7:35 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a radio call informing them that a possible auto burglary was in progress at Parking Structure Number Eight, located at 1555 Second St. The officers hastened to the scene and upon arrival spoke with the reporting party who told them that a man had been attempting to open numerous car doors in the parking structure. The officers discovered the suspect walking between parked cars inside the structure. The officers detained the suspect while they investigated. The officers spoke with the primary victim in this case who told them that she had entered the parking structure and pulled into a parking stall inside the structure. She said that after she exited her vehicle the suspect approached her, through his jacket onto her car and stared at her in a strange and menacing way. She said that she became fearful and got back into her car but the suspect then attempted to open the car doors repeatedly as she attempted to reverse out of the stall. She added that the suspect also yelled a variety of obscenities at her. The victim was able to pull her car away. The officers arrested the suspect, aged 38 and from Los Angeles and he was later charged with attempted carjacking and a violation of probation. Bail was denied.
Spit, No Polish.
On Tuesday, September 19, at 6:23 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department who were on routine patrol in the area of Third Street and Broadway were flagged down by a victim of a battery. The victim pointed out the suspect and the officers detained this individual while they investigated. The victim said that the suspect had approached him in the street and began to make small talk about nothing in particular. The victim told the officers that during the conversation, and for no apparent reason the suspect spat at the victim with a quantity of spittle striking the victim on the left side of his face. The suspect then began to yell insults and obscenities at the victim before strolling away. The victim told the officers that he was desirous of a prosecution so the officers arrested this suspect, aged 30-years-old and homeless, and he was later issued a citation for battery before being released.
Who’s Been Sitting In My Car?
On Thursday, September 21, at 9:27 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a radio call regarding a possible stolen vehicle in the area of the 1500 block of 16th Street. The reporting party was the owner of the vehicle who, a few days earlier, had reported the vehicle as being stolen. The reporting party had spotted the vehicle with an unknown individual sitting in the driving seat and had subsequently called the police. When the officers arrived at the location they detained the suspected car thief and spoke with the owner of the vehicle who told them that the suspect did not have permission to possess or be inside the car. The officers searched the suspect and discovered that this man was in possession of a number of credit cards that belonged to a third party. The officers arrested the suspect, aged 48 and homeless, and he was later charged with grand theft auto, receiving stolen property and possession of charge cards with the intent to defraud. Bail was set at $35,000.
Speeding Away.
On Thursday, September 21, at 7:42 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were on routine patrol in the area of 20th Street and Pico Boulevard when they spotted a bicyclist riding his conveyance on the sidewalk in contravention of a Santa Monica Municipal Code which prohibits such activity. The officers attempted to stop this bicyclist but the man fled from the officers. The officers made a second, more concerted effort and eventually apprehended this man in the 1800 block of Alley Number 19. The officers arrested this man and searched him. The officers discovered that this individual was in possession of a controlled narcotic, namely methamphetamine so they arrested this 29-year-old Los Angeles resident and he was later charged with possession of methamphetamine, receiving stolen property (the bicycle) and an outstanding warrant. Bail was not granted.
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.
