Friday, March 26, 2010

Highlighted activity-Week of March 18-24,2010


During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 593 service events, resulting in 149 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:
Possession for Sale of Marijuana - Suspect Arrested March 18 at 12:13 p.m., an officer observed a motorcycle with no license plates and stopped the driver for the violation. A check for licensing and warrants revealed the driver had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. A search, incident to arrest, revealed a large container of marijuana and another container with rolled marijuana cigarettes, as well as an electronic scale. During the booking process, several other warrants totaling over $100,000 were revealed.

Foothill Special Enforcement Team Activation March 19 at 5:45 p.m., the Foothill Special Enforcement Team (FSET) was activated by the San Marino Police Department regarding a subject who stated he was suicidal and had pointed a gun at responding officers while barricading himself in his home. Monrovia FSET personnel responded. Additionally, another Monrovia officer responded to assist with any possible translation, as the suspect and his family spoke Mandarin Chinese. The Pasadena Police Department Special Response Team and patrol officers from the San Gabriel Police Department, as well as several fire agencies also responded.

Over the course of five hours, crisis negotiators were able to talk the subject out of the house and into surrendering. He was treated by paramedics and taken to a hospital, as he stated he had taken an overdose of prescription medication.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery March 20 at 1:12 a.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Shamrock and Hurstview discovered a vehicle which was reported stolen out of Glendale. The vehicle was a panel truck which contained merchandise. Glendale Police Department was notified and they requested the vehicle be held for fingerprinting.

Driving Under the Influence / Hit and Run Traffic Accident - Suspect Arrested
March 20 at 1:35 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the area of Huntington and Monterey regarding a hit and run traffic accident. The driver was last seen heading north on Monterey. The officer located the driver and, during the investigation, determined the driver was under the influence of a controlled substance and arrested the driver.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested March 20 at 2:17 a.m., while officers were at the intersection of Huntington and Monterey investigating the above mentioned traffic accident, they saw a vehicle driving west on Huntington with a flat tire. They noticed the vehicle had possible collision damage. An officer stopped the driver and determined he was driving while under the influence. Officers searched for collision damage in the area, but did not locate any. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence and the investigation is continuing.

Vandalism March 22 at 6:41 a.m., an officer went to an elementary school in the 400 block of West Colorado regarding this call. On his arrival, he was shown graffiti on the south end of the main building written in black spray paint. A report was taken and the investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation March 22 at 7:22 a.m., an officer was in the process of releasing a female subject who was in custody for driving under the influence. During the process, she told the officer she wanted to hurt herself and was contemplating suicide. The female was not released and was taken to a hospital and held for mental evaluation.

Department of Child and Family Services Referral March 22 at 1:46 p.m., an officer was on a traffic stop in front of a residence in the 100 block of North Myrtle. While there, he heard what sounded like a family disturbance coming from an open window of an apartment. Assisting officers responded to investigate. When they arrived, they discovered two 11 year old brothers inside. They had been yelling and playing around. While the officers were inside, they found the location to be extremely dirty, providing poor living conditions for the children. An officer made contact with the mother, who responded to the location. He wrote an incident report and is referring the case to the Department of Child and Family Services and City Code Enforcement.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested March 22 at 3:49 p.m., we received a call from a concerned driver who was reporting a possible drunk driver. An officer responded to the area and observed the vehicle coming out of a gas station at Huntington and Monterey and stopped the vehicle. A field sobriety test was conducted and the driver was determined to be driving under the influence. He was arrested and charged.

Grand Theft Auto March 22 at 5:49 p.m., an officer went to a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain regarding a stolen vehicle report. The victim parked his vehicle in the morning at 7:00 a.m. and secured it. He returned to his vehicle shortly before 6:00 p.m. and his vehicle was gone. The vehicle is a white, 1990 Nissan truck. There were no signs of forced entry. Investigation continuing.

Grand Theft From Person March 24 at 7:55 p.m., an officer responded to the 500 Block of West Huntington regarding a female victim who had her purse stolen from her. Officers were in the area quickly and a perimeter was set. A yard to yard search uncovered some of the stolen property but not the victim's wallet or purse. The suspects were not located. Investigation continuing.

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MNV Gang Member Convicted This week a Monrovia Nuevo Varrio gang member was found guilty in Superior Court for a 2004 Monrovia murder which occurred in the 200 block of West Olive. The Monrovia Duarte Gang Task Force Unit Cold Unit, consisting of a Monrovia Police Detective and two LASD Operation Safe Streets Detectives, worked this case to its successful conclusion. The suspect was convicted of murder and the alleged gang enhancements. He sentenced will be determined at a further court appearance.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Highlighted Activity - Week of March 11 - March 17, 2010


During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 562 service events, resulting in 128 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:
Outside Assist - Los Angeles Police Department Arrest Warrant
On March 11, the Los Angeles Police Department advised Monrovia Police Department that they were going to serve an arrest warrant on a subject at a residence in the 1500 block of Pilgrim. They arrived at approximately 2:00 p.m. and two Monrovia officers were assigned to assist them. Los Angeles Police Department officers entered the home, but were not able to locate the suspect. The suspect is a known gang member who is wanted in relation to a homicide with a firearm. The suspect's vehicle was impounded at the location. The suspect is still outstanding at this time.

Receiving Stolen Property - Suspect Arrested March 12 at 8:34 a.m., the grounds keeper at a complex in the 1100 block of Royal Oaks called to report a male subject who did not belong on the property loading a large television into an empty storage cabinet in the parking area of the complex. An officer arrived and detained the subject. He had a large, newer model television. The suspect is known to be homeless and has a history of burglary and drug use. His statements about the television were inconsistent. He made a statement that he possibly knew the television was stolen. He was searched and the officer found a used cocaine smoking pipe on his person. The subject was arrested for the possession of drug paraphernalia and for receiving stolen property.

Injury Traffic Collision March 12 at 11:30 a.m., officers responded to Mayflower and the 210 underpass regarding an injury traffic collision. A driver, waiting to turn east from the number one lane of Mayflower, pulled onto Mayflower and was struck by a vehicle traveling north, which was occupied by a father and his young son. Fortunately, both were wearing their seatbelts! There was heavy damage to the vehicles, but only minor complaint of pain by all parties. Traffic was problematic and additional officers were needed to assist.

Assault March 12 at 4:54 p.m., a local hospital called to report they had the victim of an assault that occurred in Monrovia at their hospital. The investigation revealed the subject had gone to his girlfriend's home on Los Angeles Street and attempted to speak to her, despite a restraining order against him. During the encounter, he refused to leave and bumped into another male subject in the group. The male subject then punched him with a closed fist. Initial reports indicate that he may have a broken jaw. The investigation is ongoing; however, it may be that both parties will ultimately be charged criminally.

Unlawful Intercourse With a Minor - Suspect Arrested March 12 at 6:50 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a park in the 600 block of West Olive regarding two juveniles possibly involved in sexual activity in the park. When the officer arrived the male and female separated. During the investigation, it was determined that the male was an adult and the female was 14 years old. The male was arrested for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and destruction of evidence. The female was taken to a hospital for a medical exam. The investigation is continuing.

Welfare Check March 13 at 9:24 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 100 block of West Cherry on a welfare check of an elderly female. The officers observed mail piled up, a gas notice was left on the door, and other signs of inattention to the location. Officers believed the woman might be inside in need of assistance and made entry into the location with a key provided by the landlord. The officers found the woman laying on her dining room floor. She was still alive, but in need of immediate medical attention. She was taken to a hospital for treatment. There were no signs of a crime.

Officers located 16 cats in her apartment. Many of the cats were in poor health. Animal Control responded and assisted officers in gathering the cats. The cats were housed at Inland Valley, except for one that appeared very ill and was taken to an emergency clinic for assesment and care. The woman has no relatives that could be located. The officer spoke to the social worker at the hospital and they advised they would work with her to ensure proper care when she is released.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Theft of an Access Card / Warrants - Suspect Arrested March 15 at 10:44 a.m., an officer observed a small black car occupied by a female driver and a male passenger. The vehicle had no license plate. When the officer started to make a u-turn, the vehicle turned and went into a driveway. The officer parked to see if the vehicle would pull out, and it did and drove past her. She made a u-turn behind the vehicle. The vehicle stopped and the male passenger exited the car and ran into a yard. A perimeter was set up. A resident called and reported a subject just went through her yard on Colorado to the property west of hers. The subject made it to Colorado, where he was detained and arrested. The subject was in possession of methamphetamine, two debit/credit cards belonging to other people, and he had two warrants for his arrest. He was booked and is being held for his court appearance.

Residential Burglary March 15 at 4:48 p.m., residents walking their dogs in the area of Ranchito and Lemon saw two male juveniles sitting on a curb. The juveniles had backpacks with them and were asked what they were doing. The residents walked away, but kept an eye on the juveniles. They looked back again and noticed a window screen had been removed from a window of a residence in the 500 block of Ranchito, and now only one juvenile was sitting on the curb. The residents called the police. The juvenile on the curb got up and ran. He was chased down by two male neighbors and detained until officers arrived. The second juvenile was found hiding in the rear yard of a residence. Both suspects were arrested for burglary, booked, and later released to their parents.

Residential Burglary March 17 at 3:54 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of North Canyon regarding a burglary. When officers arrived, the resident reported that jewelry had been taken from the master bedroom. The suspects apparently made entry through a doggie door. The suspects exited the master bedroom through the sliding door. Investigation continuing.

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Stop Graffiti Bounty Program
One of the methods the Monrovia Police Department is using to combat graffiti in the community of Monrovia is the Stop Graffiti Bounty Program. If a citizen reports an incident of graffiti in the City of Monrovia that leads to the arrest of the suspect, the citizen will receive a $100 bill. Help keep Monrovia looking great!
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Friday, March 12, 2010

Weekly Update - Crime in Monrovia recap


Highlighted Activity - Week of March 4 - March 10, 2010

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 522 service events, resulting in 124 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

Death Report March 5 at 6:28 a.m., officers responded to a call of a woman down and not breathing at a residence in the 300 block of West Lemon. Paramedics responded and attempted rescucitation, with negative results. The woman was pronounced dead. It was determined that the woman was a severe alcoholic and her death is likely related to health problems from alcohol abuse. The Coroner's Office was called.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested March 6 at 2:06 a.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Shamrock and Huntington noticed a vehicle swerving on the roadway. He stopped the driver and, during the investigation, determined the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the station for booking.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested March 6 at 2:36 a.m., an officer in the area of California and Los Angeles observed a vehicle traveling on the roadway with no headlights. She stopped the driver and determined the driver to be under the influence. The driver was arrested and taken into custody for booking.

Felony Vandalism - Suspect Arrested March 6 at 10:06 a.m., dispatch received a call from a witness following a vandalism suspect in a vehicle. The witness saw the suspect get out of his vehicle at Central and Myrtle, where he wrote graffiti on two traffic signals with a large yellow paint marker. He also tagged a trash dumpster in the 1200 block of South Myrtle and a city power transformer at Primrose and Huntington. Officers responded and detained the suspect. He was positively identified by the witness and arrested for felony vandalism. The suspect was uncooperative and denied any gang involvement. The witness will receive Monrovia Police Department's $100 graffiti bounty reward for reporting this incident, which led to the arrest of the suspect.

Grand Theft Auto March 6 at 12:34 p.m., police received the report of a stolen vehicle. An employee of a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain parked and locked his vehicle in the parking lot. He was away from his vehicle for approximately thirty minutes and returned to find it missing. The vehicle taken was a 1994 Honda Accord. Investigation continuing.

Burglary - Suspect Arrested March 7 at 11:12 a.m., an officer responded to a burglary alarm call at an elementary school in the 200 block of Jasmine. As he arrived, a witness reported that the suspect had jumped a fence and fled toward Jasmine. Additional units were requested to search for the suspect. He was detained at Canyon and Foothill. The witness positively identified the suspect. The suspect was wearing a backpack and was in possession of a slidehammer, which was used to gain entry into a classroom. The suspect did not have enough time to take anything. He is currently on parole for burglary. Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary March 8 at 7:05 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 1500 block of California regarding a burglary. They arrived and met with the owner, who told the officers he closed up on Sunday and set the alarm. In the morning, he got a call from his gardener, who told him someone had broken into the business. The suspects had cut through a sheet metal bay door and entered the building. Investigation continuing.

Outside Agency Warrant - Suspect Arrested March 8 at 3:48 p.m., officers observed a male subject who is a known gang member. The subject saw the officers and ran toward a residence in the 200 block of East Olive. One of the officers gave chase and detained the subject around the building. A computer check revealed two outside warrants for his arrest. The officer found a Bowie type knife near where the subject had been. Azusa Police Department responded on the outstanding warrants and took custody of the suspect.

Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer / Possession of a Controlled Substance - Suspect Arrested March 9 at 11:41 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of Fig on a robbery alarm call. Officers arrived and checked the location. They saw clothing on the ground at the rear of the location and a male subject came into view. His belt was undone, pants open, and jacket askew on his body. The officers tried communicating with him, but he did not respond. He continued to ignore instructions and began to pick up a chrome barbell. He became combative with the officers and appeared to be under the influence. One of the officers activated his taser, which had no effect on the suspect. As officers moved in and detained the suspect, they saw he had something in his mouth, which turned out to be a plastic baggie containing what appeared to be rock cocaine. He was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment. Another baggie of rock cocaine was recovered from the suspect at the hospital. He was eventually cleared for booking and brought to the station.

Foothills Special Enforcement Team Outside Agency Search Warrant - Assisting Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) February 11 at 5 a.m., the Foothills Special Enforcement Team in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency served a search warrant at a residence in the city of El Monte. The search was for narcotics and firearms believed to be at the residence. The residence was secured and the suspect was located. Though the search was not completed at the time of this report, a quantity of narcotics packaged for sales had already been located. This search warrant was part of a larger investigation that is ongoing.

Duarte and Monrovia Anti Gang Enforcement (DAMAGE) Task Force / State Parole Operation March 10 at 6:30 a.m., Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputies, State Parole and Monrovia Police Department personnel conducted a parole compliance check of a residence in the 100 block of South Encinitas. A loaded 9mm pistol, ammunition, a small quantity of methamphetamine and several items of drug paraphernalia were recovered. Two male adults were arrested. One male parolee was charged with ex-felon with a gun, ex-felon in possession of ammunition, possession of methamphetamine and a parole violation. The other male was charged with possession of an unregistered handgun and possession of drug paraphernalia.

At 8:38 a.m., a second parole compliance check was conducted at a residence in the 100 block of Montana on a known gang member. Items with gang graffiti and two different kinds of ammunition were recovered. The parolee was arrested for ex-felon in possession of ammunition and a parole violation.

At 10:00 a.m., a third parole compliance check of a known gang member was conducted in the 300 block of East Walnut. A relative stated that the parolee has not lived at the address for two weeks. It is believed he has moved out of state without permission from parole. There is a warrant pending for his arrest.

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Stop Graffiti Bounty Program One of the methods the Monrovia Police Department is using to combat graffiti in the community of Monrovia is the Stop Graffiti Bounty Program. If a citizen reports an incident of graffiti in the City of Monrovia that leads to the arrest of the suspect, the citizen will receive a $100 bill. Help keep Monrovia looking great!

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Tip of the week
Home Security: Make sure any adjoining doors between your garage and your house are locked at all times. Parents often leave side doors unlocked for children arriving home from school. This gives easy, concealed access to potential burglars. A good deadbolt lock should be installed in adjoining doors. This is a common method of entry for burglars to gain access to the rest of your house.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Highlighted Activity - Week of February 25 - March 3, 2010


During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 515 service events, resulting in 109 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

Commercial Burglary / False Identification to a Peace Officer - Suspect Arrested
February 25 at 11:28 a.m., an officer responded to a theft report at a business in the 500 block of West Huntington. Store loss prevention personnel detained a subject for attempting to steal a suitcase filled with merchandise. When taken into custody, the suspect presented false identification to the officer. His true identity was later confirmed and he was booked for the appropriate charges. His criminal history revealed he is a prior deported felon and an ICE hold was obtained.

Residential Burglary February 26 at 3:41 p.m., police responded to the report of a residential burglary in the 400 block of West Central. Unknown suspects forced entry and ransacked the residence. Investigation is continuing.

Structure Fire February 26 at 9:33 p.m., officers responded to the call of a structure fire and possible gas leak at a residence in the 600 block of Terrado. The house and homes in the immediate area were evacuated. Monrovia Fire Department responded and extinguished a small fire in the garage. The gas was turned off, the structure was saved and there were no injuries. The origin of the fire was the area of the washer, dryer and water heater. The exact cause is not known, but arson was not suspected.

Suspicious Circumstances
February 27 at 10:52 a.m., a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain reported a vadalism to their backdoor. Store loss prevention personnel had been alerted to a series of burglaries at different stores, where entry was forced from the outside. When they checked their rear entrance on Evergreen, they discovered a hole had been drilled in the door and patched. They removed the patch material and discovered the wires to the security system had been cut. The officer took a report and will make advisements to other agencies regarding this incident. Officers also went to the larger local retail stores in the area and advised them to be vigilant regarding suspicious activity of this nature.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision - Suspect Arrested February 28 at 4:13 a.m., police received multiple calls reporting a collision in the 100 block of West Olive. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle had collided into a parked vehicle and then struck city street light. Monrovia Fire Department responded and checked the occupants. During the investigation, it was determined the driver was driving under the influence. The driver was arrested.

Mountain Lion SightingMarch 1 at 7:40 p.m., several residents in the 1100 block of Norumbega reported seeing an adult mountain lion. The animal was seen walking across front yards by residents that were inside their homes and did not represent an immediate threat. There was no interaction with the animal and no loss of pets reported. Officers responded, but the animal had left the area and efforts to locate it were unsuccessful. A telephonic notification was made to neighbors in the area to advise them.

BurglaryMarch 3 at 9:58 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 900 block of West Foothill. The reporting party told him he had closed up the night before at 9:30 p.m. and locked up the location. He returned in the morning and found someone had broken off the lock on an outdoor shed that contains supplies, but it appears nothing was taken. Investigation continuing.

Vandalism / TheftMarch 3 at 2:14 p.m., officers responded to the 200 block of Wildrose regarding five juveniles seen tagging in the alley. Officers arrived and saw fresh spray paint on garages and walls in three locations. They conducted an area check and detained two subjects matching the descriptions given by the reporting party. The two juveniles were positively identified by the witness as being involved in the tagging. Officers recovered a spray paint can from one of the juveniles, which had been stolen from Wildrose School. The tagging in this incident is similar to the tagging in numerous other incidents reported to police. Investigation continuing.

BurglaryMarch 3 at 3:36 p.m., an officer went to the 900 block of West Duarte regarding a burglary. The reporting party told him his residence had been broken into overnight. The residence is part of a complex that was being fumigated and was tented. The officer took the initial information, but could not enter the location to investigate due to the hazard. He will return when the location is safe to enter and complete his investigation.

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Suspects Found Guilty in 2007 Attempt Murder Case

On Friday, February 26th, after a month and a half of trial, Duroc gang members Mario Alford and Lamar McDaniels, were found guilty of attempt murder. The third suspect, Melvin Mapps, pled guilty to 23 years at the start of trial. Alford and McDaniels were offered 21 years but rejected it. In the end, they were charged with attempt murder, with all of the gun and gang allegations. Sentencing has been put off to another date, but more than likely, Alford and McDaniels will not receive anything less than 34 years, according to the District Attorney.
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Tip of the Week Home Security: Doors, windows and yards should be well lighted at night - Burglars don't like lights. Consider installing lighting which could possibly deter burglars from approaching your home. The lighting should be positioned where it cannot be turned off or tampered with.
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Contact Phone Numbers

For Emergency Dial - 911
Police Department Business Line - (626) 256-8000
Community Policing Sergeant - (626) 256-8020
Watch Commander - (626) 256-8030
Cell Watch - (626) 357-CELL (2355)

Graffiti Removal - (626) 836-3654
Shopping Cart Removal - (800) 252-4613
Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers - (800) 222-TIPS (8477)