By Tim Broughton
A Few Cocktails.
On Wednesday, November 15, at 9:45 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that a man was acting in a very suspicious manner in the area of Ocean Avenue and Pacific Street. The officers drove to the aforementioned area and located (based upon a description) the suspiciously acting individual in the 100 block of Strand Avenue. The officers had been told that this man was acting aggressively towards passerby and shouting abuse towards numerous people. The officers spoke with this man and deduced that he was under the influence of an (or several) alcoholic beverage(s). The officers searched the suspect and discovered, inside his backpack, a knife. The suspect stated that he needed the knife for protection. The officers arrested this 18-year- old Los Angeles resident and he was later charged with possession of a dirk or dagger. Bail was set at $20,000.
His Number Was Up.
On Thursday, November 16, at 3:57 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department, who were on a routine patrol; in the area of the 1500 block of Sixth Street spotted a car that was displaying two different license plates. The officers followed this vehicle and as they got closer to the car the driver began to accelerate in order to attempt to evade the officers. The driver was maneuvering erratically at a high rate of speed and at one point ran a red light in his attempts to avoid being apprehended by the police. The driver then turned into the Civic Center Parking Lot, located at 333 Civic Center Drive and when the officers arrived the driver had left the vehicle, but several witnesses told the officers that the man had escaped southbound on Fourth Street, and also that he had discarded a brown bag as he ran away. The officers hastened to that area and eventually caught the suspect in the 2000 block of Fifth Street. The officers also found the brown bag and discovered that it contained methamphetamine and cocaine. The officers detained the suspect while they returned to his vehicle in order to conduct a search of the car. The officers found that the car contained narcotics paraphernalia, $221, several 9mm rounds of ammunition and several clear plastic
baggies. This 32-year- old Los Angeles man was arrested and later charged with having two license plates attached to the vehicle, reckless driving, disobeying a police officer, being a felon on possession of ammunition, possession of methamphetamine for sale, possession of cocaine for sale, and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Bail was set at $35,000.
Family Phone Plan.
On Thursday, November 16, at 6:46 p.m., while on patrol on Third Street Promenade, two officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were flagged down by employees of The Apple Store who told them that they had a possible thief in custody inside the store. The officers entered the store and spoke with loss prevention agents who told them that the suspect had entered the store and had been observed picking up two iPhones from the display tables. The loss prevention agents then said that this man had then attempted to leave the store without paying for the iPhones and once outside had been apprehended by the security personnel. The store was desirous of a prosecution so the officers arrested the suspect, aged 22 and from Moorpark, and he was later charged with grand theft. The iPhones were recovered at the scene and bail for this man was set at $10,000.
They Hit The Roof.
On Sunday, November 19, at 9:19 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call that a possible burglary was in progress at a building in the 1300 block of Palisades Beach Road. The officers sped to the location and as they arrived they spotted two suspects walking down a staircase that was attached to the property, the officers detained these two individuals and determined that they had been on the roof of the property. The officers learned from witnesses that one of the suspects had been seen cutting cables attached to the house and that they had both been witnessed attempting to force open a door in order to gain access to the property. The officers arrested these two men of (as of time of going to press) unknown ages or places of residence and one of them was charged with attempted burglary and an outstanding warrant (bail set
at $80,000) while the other was issued with a citation for trespass.