By Tim Broughton
Not His Package.
On Friday, January 19, at 9:53 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to an apartment complex located in the 1400 block of Fifth Street in order to investigate a report of a possible burglary. As the officers were en route to the location they were informed by dispatch that the reporting party had said that a man had grabbed several packages that had been addressed to residents of the apartment complex and had run off with the packages. The officers, armed with a description of the suspect spotted their man in the 1500 block of Fifth Street. He was carrying a number of packages that were addresses to people living in the aforementioned apartment complex. After several witnesses had positively identified this individual the officers arrested the 29-year-old suspected thief and he was later charged with burglary and receiving stolen property. Bail for this homeless man was set at $50,000.
Packing Heat
On Saturday, January 20, at 11 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a radio call informing them that a man had been seen walking around the area of the 1900 block of Ocean Way with a gun. The officers learned that a citizen had seen the suspect remove a handgun from his waistband and walk northbound on Ocean Front Walk with the gun in his hand. The officers spotted the suspect in the 1700 block of Ocean Front Walk and detained him with extreme caution. The officers searched this man and discovered that he did indeed possess a fully loaded .22 caliber revolver inside his front pants pocket. The man, aged 52 and from Brentwood, was arrested and later released after being issued with a citation for possessing a loaded firearm in public.
Say Cheese!
On Monday, January 22, at 10:33 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call for assistance needed at Johnny Rockets Restaurant, located at 1322 Third Street Promenade. The officers sped to the scene and upon arrival at the restaurant the officers were directed to a woman inside the restaurant who had been the focus of the report. The officers detained this woman while they investigated. The officers spoke with employees of the restaurant and learned that the suspect had entered the eatery and ordered some food to go. The officers learned that the woman had been given her to-go order and had left the restaurant but a few minutes later returned and began complaining that her food was unsatisfactory due to the fact that they had not put cheese on her hamburger. The subject became enraged and started screaming and yelling profanities at the employees. The manager of the restaurant told the officers that the woman had then been asked to leave the restaurant but that instead of leaving she had slapped an employee across the face and picked up a metal chair that she then held over her head in a very threatening manner. A second employee intervened at that moment and wrestled the chair away from this irate woman. The officers arrested the suspect, aged 40 years and from Ls Angeles and she was later charged with battery and a probation violation. Bail was set at $20,000.
Iron Man.
On Tuesday, January 23, at 3:31 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police department responded to a radio call for assistance needed at the Von’s Market, located at 1311 Wilshire Blvd. The officers were told that a suspect had attacked the store manager “with a stick” before fleeing the scene. The officers hastened to the location and as they were approaching the area of 17th Street and Wilshire Boulevard spotted a man who fit the description of the suspect. The officers detained this man while they spoke with the store manager. The officers learned that the suspect had entered the store and had selected several food items from the display shelves. This man had then attempted to leave the market without paying for the items but the store manager had intercepted the man and confronted him about the food items. The suspect then pulled out a tire iron from his pants, hit the female manager with the tire iron, punched her in the face and then fled the scene. The store manager declined medical attention and the officers arrested the suspect, a homeless man aged 32, and he was later charged with assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, criminal threats and a violation of probation. Bail was set at $50,000.
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.
