Highlighted Activity for the Weekend of May 22-25, 2014

Bear Incident
On May 22 at 5:30 p.m., a small bear was discovered on the roof of an apartment complex near Foothill and Mountain. The Department of Fish and Wildlife was requested, but prior to their arrival, the bear fled back into the foothills.
Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
On May 22 at 10:20 p.m., a traffic collision was reported at Shamrock and Huntington.  A driver was looking at his cellular phone while driving and struck a vehicle in front of him. Officers responded and determined he was also driving under the influence. Thedriver was arrested.
Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
On May 23 at 2:48 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 300 block of West Huntington. A driver was backing out of a parking stall after leaving a bar. In the process, she backed into a vehicle. Officers responded and determined she had been driving while under the influence. The driver was arrested.
Sexual Battery
On May 23, 2014, at 8:00 a.m., a female victim was walking in the area of Huntington
and Canyon in the city of Monrovia. A lone male suspect approached the victim from
behind. The suspect wrapped his right arm around the victim’s waist and with his left
hand, grabbed her buttocks. The suspect said, “Hey baby,” as he assaulted the victim.
When the victim screamed for help, the suspect fled north on Canyon out of view.
The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, 19 to 21 years of age, 5’06” tall, 140
pounds, with short brown hair and brown eyes. See press release for artist’s sketch of
suspect below.

Commercial Robbery
On May 23 at 9:01 p.m., police responded to a robbery at a business in the 300 block of West Huntington. Two suspects entered the business at closing. One of the suspects approached an employee and displayed a handgun. The suspects ordered the employees into the office. Then they ordered the victims to the ground and tied them up with zip ties. The suspects emptied out a cabinet containing cell phones and fled the
location.
Suspect number one is described as a male Hispanic, approximately 6'0" tall, 200 pounds, wearing a black hat, black hooded sweatshirt, black shorts, black socks, and black shoes. Suspect number two is described as a male Hispanic wearing a gray longsleeved sweater, blue jeans, and a gray hat with a Batman logo. The vehicle was described as a white, 4-door Honda. The investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary
On May 25 at 12:50 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of West Hillcrest called to report  her home had been burglarized. She left her residence for an hour to attend a funeral. When she returned home, she discovered her rear door was forced open. She looked inside and saw the house had been ransacked. The victim called police and officers responded to check the interior of the location. No suspects were located. Jewelry was
taken from the location. The investigation is continuing.

Paint n Play 2 Art Studio and Gallery robbed and ransacked

MPD Needs your help in Identifying this person of interest

Sometime Monday night, early Tuesday Morning Paint n Play 2 Art Studio and Gallery was burglarized and ransacked.  I'll be helping the owner Lisa Barrios inventory the art loss that currently our best guess is it will easily exceed 10K.

The person in this picture was seen about midnight in the court yard behind the businesses in the 400 Block of south Myrtle Avenue.  He was seen coming from the area of Mikomi's back door and walked to the door of the Doll Makers where he tried to open their rear door and posed for this picture.  He was then seen going to the back door of Paint and Play and not seen again.  About 15 minutes later a dark shiny sedan, possibly a Honda or Toyota sedan is seen on Myrtle Avenue and stuff was being put into it.

KABC7 is working on the story and from what I've been told they have the entire video.  When it is available I will share the link here.

If you know the person in this video please contact Monrovia Police at 626-256-8000.

Highlighted Activity for May 5-7, 2014

Theft From an Unlocked Vehicle
On May 5 at 4:56 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 100 block of North Myrtle. The victim parked the vehicle in front of their apartment complex. During the night, unknown suspects entered the vehicle and took a small amount of cash. The investigation is continuing.
Armed Robbery
On May 5, at approximately 11:55 p.m., officers were dispatched to a restaurant located in the 800 block of West Huntington Drive on the report of an armed robbery that had just occurred. Employees reported that the suspect appeared in the kitchen as the restaurant was closing. The suspect was wearing a black ski mask over his face and was armed with an unknown caliber handgun. The suspect contacted the manager and
directed him to the office, where the safe was open and money was being prepared for deposit.
The suspect had a shopping bag in his possession and directed the manager to place the money inside. Upon receiving the money, the suspect directed the five employees to stay in the office and count to 100. The suspect then fled the location in an unknown direction.
The suspect is described as male, 5’07” to 5’08” tall, thin build, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. Monrovia officers searched the area for the suspect with assistance from the Foothill Air Support helicopter and CHP officers from the Alta Dena Station who were in the area and responded, but the suspect was not located. The investigation is continuing.
Theft From a Vehicle
On May 6 at 9:14 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 400 block of South Violet. The victim parked her vehicle in the evening, but was unsure if she left her vehicle unlocked or not. The next morning, she found her vehicle ransacked. Her work identification badge and an iPod were taken. The investigation is continuing.
Illegal Hydroponics Marijuana Cultivation Discovered – Suspects Arrested
On May 6 at 1:26 p.m., several tenants in a business complex complained of strong chemical fumes coming from a unit occupied by tenants claiming to operate a water filtration company. The fumes were strong enough to cause headaches and nausea. Patrol and detective resources, city code enforcement officials and hazardous material fire personnel responded to investigate.
The unit was being subleased by the original tenant and police personnel were able to speak with one of the people subleasing the unit. Consent to search the premises was obtained from the lessee, who claimed there were no toxic chemicals or anything illegal inside the unit. Hazardous materials specialists entered the unit, stating they recognized the odor of an indoor hydroponic grow of marijuana inside.
Once the unit was confirmed to be clear of any immediate hazard, police personnel searched and discovered a fully developed hydroponic grow in process. The two responsible subjects for the illegal marijuana cultivation were arrested and booked on the charges. Additional violations including municipal code and health and safety code violations may be sought.
Injury Traffic Collision
On May 6 at 1:34 p.m., police responded to an injury traffic collision reported at Magnolia and Olive. A driver was headed southbound on Magnolia when he slowly veered left and accelerated into a parked truck, hitting it head on, pushing it in to other vehicles. The driver sustained visible injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Warrant / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
On May 6 at 10:34 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 200 block of South Myrtle observed a male suspect he knew had a warrant out for his arrest. After confirming the warrant, he contacted the suspect and arrested him for the warrant. A subsequent search revealed the suspect was in possession of a hypodermic syringe containing an unknown liquid substance believed to be methamphetamine. He was also charged for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
May 7 at 6:16 p.m., an officer was sent to Alta Vista and Huntington regarding the report of vandalism in progress. A witness called police to report a male suspect spray painting graffiti on the public street. An officer arrived and detained the suspect, who was positively identified by a witness. The male juvenile suspect admitted to the crime. The juvenile suspect was arrested and later released to the custody of his mother on a citation to appear in court. The reporting party will be receiving Monrovia Police
Department’s Graffiti Bounty. 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.

Highlighted Activity for the Weekend of September 5-9, 2013

Battery / Vandalism / Driving Under the Influence – Suspects Arrested

September 6 at 2:09 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of South Madison on the report of a male suspect attempting to enter the victim's home by kicking in the door and breaking a window.  Officers arrived and saw two suspects fleeing from the residence in a vehicle.  A felony stop was conducted on the vehicle and two male suspects were detained.  

Through investigation, it was learned that the victim and his girlfriend were walking to their apartment.  They walked by a vehicle occupied by two male subjects and the passenger whistled and made comments to the victim’s girlfriend.  The victim told the suspect to leave them alone.  The passenger exited the vehicle and ran after them; a fight ensued.  The victim got away from the suspect and ran into the apartment.  The suspect then tried to force the door of the apartment open.  Not succeeding, he punched and broke a glass window with his hand, cutting his hand in the process.  The victim told the suspect they had called the police and the suspect fled.

The passenger was arrested for battery and vandalism.  The driver of the vehicle was determined to be under the influence and was arrested for DUI.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested

September 7 at 1:14 a.m., an officer observed a female subject in a parking lot of a business in the 400 block of South Myrtle.  The officer contacted the subject and determined that she was under the influence of a controlled substance.  She admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine.  She was arrested and taken into custody.

Battery – Suspect Arrested

September 7 at 12:31 p.m., a female adult entered a business in the 200 block of West Foothill and wanted to purchase alcohol.  The clerk asked for identification and the female became irate.  A customer told the female to stop yelling at the clerk; the female pushed and struck the customer with a clenched fist.  The clerk jumped in and tried to push the female out of the store.  The female struck the clerk and tore his shirt in the process.  The female fled and the clerk called police.  Officers arrived and located the female suspect down the street.  The clerk made a citizen’s arrest and the suspect was taken into custody.

Battery – Suspect Arrested

September 7 at 1:06 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of South Shamrock regarding an argument between the owner and an employee.  They were arguing because the employee had slammed the freezer door.  The argument escalated and the employee pushed the owner; the owner fired him on the spot and called police.  The owner made a citizen’s arrest and the employee was taken into custody for battery.

Commercial Burglary / Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor – Suspects Arrested

September 7 at 5:05 p.m., a male adult and female juvenile were seen inside a business in the 500 block of West Huntington, selecting merchandise, removing price tags and placing the merchandise inside a duffle bag.  The police were notified and the suspects were detained outside the store by officers.  A computer check revealed the juvenile was a runaway with a no-bail warrant.  The adult was arrested and charged with burglary and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Warrant – Suspect Arrested

September 8 at 5:34 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of East Central regarding a suspicious person.  They arrived and contacted a female who was under the influence of a narcotic.  A computer check revealed the subject had an outstanding no-bail warrant and is on probation.  She was arrested for the warrant and for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Grand Theft Auto

September 8 at 7:40 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 100 block of West Cherry.  The vehicle is a 1987 GMC truck and it was taken from the victim’s driveway.  The victim has accounted for all of the keys.  The investigation is continuing.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle

September 8 at 9:05 a.m., shortly after police received the above grand theft auto report on West Cherry, they recovered a 1979 Chevy pickup on East Central.  It is believed the suspect(s) abandoned the Chevy and then took the GMC.  The investigation is continuing.

9-1-1 Call Leads to Lockdown at Santa Fe Middle School

September 9 at approximately 2:00 p.m., a male caller phoned the Monrovia Police Dispatch Center on 9-1-1.  He told the dispatcher he was on campus at Santa Fe Middle School and had an AK-47.

                                                          

The Monrovia Police Department activated a well practiced contingency plan for this type of event and surrounded the school.  Monrovia police officers, with assistance from our law enforcement partners in neighboring cities, surrounded the campus and locked down the student body.  The students sheltered in place in their classrooms.

Monrovia officers cleared the campus and completed the systematic evacuation of the classrooms to ensure the safety of the students.  After the classrooms were cleared, it was determined this incident was not a credible threat and no gunman had been on campus.  An investigation will try to identify the caller.

The Monrovia Police Department reminds everyone to call your local police agency if you see anything on a school campus that appears out of place. 

Vandalism - Suspects Arrested

February 4 at 10:08 a.m., staff from Monrovia High School reported that they had two students detained for vandalism.  The high school has had an increase in graffiti on campus recently, so the staff and security had been on alert.  One of the security officers noticed a student with graffiti on his pants and escorted him to the office.  In the office, security located over 30 markers in the student's backpack. 

Officers arrived and during the interview, the student admitted to tagging numerous places throughout the City of Monrovia with another student.  Officers researched the monikers in previous graffiti vandalism incidents that have occurred in the City.  They discovered nearly $2,000 in graffiti damage had been reported with the monikers the students use.  The students were arrested and later released to parents on citations to appear in court.

Detective Bureau Case Follow-Up

Burglary Investigation

Last week detectives served 5 search warrants on a case involving elder abuse, burglary and extortion.  Two female adults were arrested and property belonging to the victim was recovered.  The case will be presented to the District Attorney for filing consideration.

Monrovia Police Department Seeking the Public's Help With Residential Burglary Investigation

Suspect: Female Hispanic, approximately 5'5", 180 lbs., stocky build, medium complexion, long brown shiny hair past the shoulders, wearing unknown color dress pants, thin white blouse and a thin grey sweater, and spoke with a Spanish accent.

Suspect Vehicle: Early 2000, dark grey, BMW, possibly 323I model, 2DR, tint on all windows, black and white paper rear plate that read "Discount" NFD. The vehicle is described as not taken care of.

On January 31, 2013, at approximately 2:24 p.m., the victims interrupted a residential burglary at a residence in the 100 block of Norumbega Avenue in the City of Monrovia.  The victims' residence backs up to an alley.  The suspect vehicle was seen parked in the alley behind the victims' detached garage.  The female suspect was standing next to the suspect vehicle holding the victims' back gate open.  One of the victims confronted the female suspect.  The female suspect got nervous and got into the driver's seat of the suspect vehicle and fled through the alley.  The victims found their safe on a dolly next to the gate, where the female suspect was standing.  The victims then discovered their home had been burglarized. 

The suspect may have had accomplices.  The victims said they saw the same suspect vehicle with a male driver, NFD, driving through the neighborhood.  The safe was located on the second floor of the residence; it would be difficult for one person to bring it down and load it onto a dolly.

If you have any information regarding this case or the identification of this suspect, contact Detective Wendie Contreras at (626) 256-8000.

Vehicle Burglary

January 14 at 6:54 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 1000 block of Orange Avenue.  The victim's vehicle was parked in the driveway.  The victim reported the vehicle was locked, but there was no sign of forced entry.  The loss was an empty case for sunglasses and a cord for an Ipod.  Investigation continuing. 

Commercial Burglary / Fraud / Identity Theft - Suspects Arrested

January 15 at 4:51 p.m., an employee of a business in the 400 block of West Huntington called to report a possible fraud incident at their location.  Three suspects entered the business, selected merchandise and went to the registers.  Two of the suspects claimed they forgot their store credit card and were allowed to enter their social security number on the touch pad and presented identification.  The employee believed the identification to be fraudulent and notified store security and a store manager.  The employee delayed the subjects until officers could arrive. 

Upon their arrival, the officers arrested two of the suspects for burglary, identity theft, forgery and other charges.  The third suspect was arrested for an outstanding warrant.  During an inventory search in the jail, the arresting officer noticed a receipt which indicated one of the suspects purchased over $4,500 in merchandise from a store in Duarte.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was notified regarding the incident in their city. 

Burglary / Felony Vandalism

January 16 at 6:30 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of East Lime.  The victim left the residence to visit a relative in the front house between 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.  When she returned, she found someone had entered her home and smashed her computer, television, and a lamp.  Nothing was stolen.  There were no signs of forced entry.  The victim suspects the ex-boyfriend of her daughter, who had a key to the residence.  It appears the suspect entered the home with the intent of committing felony vandalism.  Investigation continuing.

Residential Burglary

January 16 at 9:42 p.m., police responded to a residence in the 500 block of North Alta Vista on the report of a residential burglary.  The victim left home at 8:30 a.m., and when she returned at 9:35 p.m., she found her home had been ransacked.  The suspect pried open the rear door to gain entry.  A handgun, iPad and jewelry were stolen.  Investigation continuing. 

Monrovia Police Department Seeks Help Identifying Battery Suspect

The Monrovia Police Department is seeking the public's help in identifying the suspect of a battery incident that occurred in Old Town Monrovia on New Year's Day.  Below is a sketch artist's rendering of the possible suspect.  If you were a witness or have any information as to the identity of the suspect in this crime, please contact Detective Rob Wilken of the Monrovia Police Department at (626) 256-8000.