Smoke And Gas.
On Tuesday, November 7, at 7:17 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that a robbery attempt had just occurred at the Chevron Gas Station, located at 1330 Santa Monica Blvd. The officers rushed to the location and spoke with the clerk of the gas station in order to discover what had transpired. The officers learned that the suspect had entered the gas station and attempted to purchase a packet of cigarettes. The clerk had requested some identification in order to verify the age of the suspect for the purchase of the cigarettes but the suspect had refused to show any identification. The suspect then demanded the cigarettes and when the clerk refused to sell him any the suspect jumped over the counter, grabbed a packet of cigarettes from the display case and attempted to leave the store. The clerk then grabbed the cigarettes and pushed the suspect in the chest causing the suspect to fall backwards. The suspect then left the store still grasping the cigarettes. The officers went in search of the suspect and located him in the area of 10th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. The officers arrested this man and retrieved the packet of cigarettes. After this suspect had been positively identified by the gas station clerk the officers took him off to jail where he was later charged with robbery. Bail for this 19-year-old homeless man was set at $50,000.
Spit But No Polish.
On Wednesday, November 8 at 3:58 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a radio call informing them that a battery had just occurred at the intersection of Second Street and Broadway. The officers hastened to the scene in order to investigate and as they were en route were told that the suspect had last been spotted walking northbound on Second Street. The officers, armed with a description of the male suspect, went in search of him and spotted this man in the area of Fourth Street and Wilshire Boulevard. The officers detained this man and transported him to the area where the alleged offense had occurred so that they could speak with the victim. The officers learned that the victim had been walking along the 1500 block of Second Street when she saw the suspect attempt to kiss a female third party who was also walking along the sidewalk. The victim stated that this third party backed away when the suspect attempted to plant the kiss. The victim then attempted to give the suspect a wide berth but the suspect walked straight towards the victim and for no reason whatsoever spat in the victim’s face. The suspect then walked away while the victim called the police. The suspect, aged 39 and from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was charged with assault and battery. Bail was set at $20,000.
With A Little Help From His Friend.
On Thursday, November 9, at 11:07 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that a man was swinging a skateboard at people in an alley in the area of 16th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. The officers went to the location and spotted the suspect still swinging the skateboard. The officers spoke with this individual but he was uncooperative and refused to give the officers his name or provide any form of identification. As the officers were asking this man for his name for the umpteenth time the man started to walk away from the officers and at that time a “friend” of the suspect approached and told the officers the suspect’s true name. This “friend” was also able to supply the officers with verifiable identification of the suspect. The officers detained the suspect and discovered that he had been reticent to give the officers his name because he had an outstanding $30,000 warrant out for his arrest. The officers arrested this 27-year-old homeless man and he was charged with delaying an officer and the outstanding warrant. Bail was granted in the sum of $40,000.
He Wasn’t Dreaming.
On Friday, November 10, at 12:33 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a call for service at the 3000 block of Steiner Avenue in regard to a prowler attempting to gain entry into a residence. The officers sped to the scene and located two individuals standing at the intersection of Marine Street and Steiner Avenue. The officers determined that one of these individuals was the victim and the other the suspect. The officers spoke with the victim and discovered that he had been sleeping inside his home when he was awakened by a loud noise coming from the front of his house. The victim walked out of the house in order to investigate and noticed an unattended bicycle lying on the sidewalk. He then spotted, out of the corner of his eye, a man attempting to force his way into his garage, which was located towards the rear of the property. The victim confronted the man and the man tried to flee the scene but the victim grabbed hold of him and tackled him down to the ground. A struggle ensued and during this struggle the suspect punched the victim several times in the abdomen before using a knife in an attempt to stab the victim. The victim received a cut to his forearm and a neighbor, upon hearing the struggle and cries for help from the victim called the police. The victim was treated at the scene by paramedics and the suspect was arrested and later charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools and assault with a deadly weapon. Bail for this 29-year-old homeless man was set at $40,000.
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.
