Tip of the Week - Vehicle Burglary Prevention

Don’t Fill Your Vehicle With Presents for Thieves!

It only takes a few seconds for thieves to break into your vehicle and steal your valuables.

It only takes a few seconds to remove your valuables and secure your vehicle - Don't Be a Victim!

Auto-burglary prevention starts by limiting the criminal's opportunity to commit the crime and can be accomplished with very little time and effort. Criminals are looking for something to steal - don't supply the valuables. Leaving your valuables in your vehicle instantly makes your car a target for thieves.

IRS Scam on the rise in the area - Tip of the Week

Tip of the Week

Internal Revenue Service Telephone Scam

The Internal Revenue Service warns consumers to guard against sophisticated and aggressive phone scams targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, as reported incidents of this crime continue to rise nationwide. These scams won’t likely end with the filing season, so the IRS urges everyone to remain on guard.
The IRS will always send taxpayers a written notification of any tax due via the U.S. mail. The IRS never asks for credit card, debit card or prepaid card information over the telephone. For more information or to report a scam, go to www.irs.gov and type "scam" in the search box.

Holiday Anti-theft recommendations

Holiday Safety Tips 

With the upcoming holiday season, the Monrovia Police Department would like to remind citizens to be aware of common crimes that increase during the holidays, take preventative actions, and “don’t be a victim!” Auto burglaries and thefts of delivered packages are crimes that typically increase during the holidays. Below are some safety tips you can use to protect yourself from becoming a victim of these crimes: 

    *Don’t Fill Your Vehicle With Presents for Thieves! It only takes a few seconds for thieves to break into your vehicle and steal your valuables. It only takes a few seconds to remove your valuables and lock your vehicle. 

•     Park as close to entrances and exits as you can. No one wants to circle the lot for an hour waiting for a good spot to open up, but give it a shot, at least for a few minutes. If forced to the far reaches of a lot, seek a spot that's well-lighted. 
• Stow your purchases in the trunk. When you're weighed down with packages, you may be tempted to throw them in the back seat and return to the mall to continue shopping. 
• You may even want to move your vehicle in case someone is watching you put your purchases in your trunk. If your purchases are in plain view, you may return to find your car windows smashed and your presents stolen. 
• Save your most expensive purchases for last, so you can head straight home. Have your keys ready when you approach your vehicle. 
• Before entering, check that no one is hiding in the back seat. Auto-burglary prevention starts by limiting the criminal's opportunity to commit the crime and can be accomplished with very little time and effort. 

Criminals are looking for something to steal - don't supply the valuables. Leaving your valuables in your vehicle instantly makes your car a target for thieves. Always lock your vehicle. Take a few seconds to prevent auto-burglary! Don't be a victim! 

Prevent Theft of Packages 

Theft of packages is an easy crime to commit and can be perpetrated by even the least professional type of criminal. 

•  Request a specific drop off time when you know that you will be at home to receive the package.    
• Ask for your parcel to be placed on a back porch or even beside the front porch or anywhere that is not visible from the street.  
• Arrange to pick up your parcels at a package store, such as a UPS store that is convenient for you. 
• Let a trustworthy neighbor know you are expecting a package delivery on a specific day and ask them to look out for it and bring it into their home for you. 
• Have your package delivered to your work address during daytime hours. 
• Know when a package is scheduled to arrive and if it doesn't, contact the sender to track the transport status of the package. And if you see mail theft happening in your neighborhood, be sure to call your local police at once to report exactly what you have seen. Time can be a decisive factor in the apprehension of mail thieves.

Highlighted Activity for November 2-4, 2015

Traffic Collision

November 2 at 7:45 a.m., a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian was reported at the intersection of Greystone and Encinitas. A vehicle was traveling south on Encinitas and stopped at the intersection stop sign. The driver proceeded to turn left onto eastbound Greystone and struck a jogger that was running north across the intersection. Monrovia Fire Department paramedics treated the victim on scene and she left the location on her own.

Residential Burglary

November 2 at 1:42 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 700 block of East Greystone. The resident left the location at approximately 11:00 a.m. and returned at 1:30 p.m. to discover the home had been burglarized. It appears the suspect(s) entered and exited through an open window. The loss was jewelry. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested

November 2 at 6:55 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 700 block of Huntington Drive on the report of a fire alarm activation where the occupant of the affected room was refusing to leave. Officers contacted the subject and a computer check revealed she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Possession of Marijuana/Warrant – Suspect Arrested

November 3 at 12:21 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 100 block of east Cherry when she noticed a vehicle with paper plates with no temporary registration in the front windshield. The officer stopped and contacted the occupants of the vehicle. A computer check of the subjects revealed one of the passengers had an outstanding arrest warrant. During a pat-down search of the subject, a pill bottle was found in his pocket which contained marijuana. The subject was arrested for the warrant and possession of marijuana. He was later released with a citation to appear in court.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested

November 3 at 6:48 a.m., police received a call reporting a female driving erratically in the 100 block of East Foothill. Police responded and located the vehicle with the driver asleep behind the wheel. She was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto

November 3 at 1:02 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 600 block of West Palm. The vehicle was parked on the street and was stolen sometime between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The vehicle is a green Honda Prelude. The investigation is continuing.

Fraud/Stolen Credit Card/Stolen Personal Information – Suspects Arrested

November 3 at 1:38 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 700 block of West Huntington regarding a stolen credit card that was used to rent a room. As officers arrived, the suspects were trying to leave the area. The suspects were detained, and during the investigation, it was discovered that the suspects had a notebook with additional credit card numbers and personal information of potential victims. One suspect was arrested for providing false information, and one suspect admitted to using a stolen credit card and someone else's personal information. The suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision

November 3 at 6:32 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of California and Cypress on the report of an injury traffic collision. A vehicle pulled out in front of another causing the collision. One of the passengers was taken to the hospital for complaint of pain to her head.

Violation of Domestic Violence Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested

November 3 at 7:28 p.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 100 block of South Alta Vista regarding a subject at the location refusing to leave. The suspect is the estranged wife of the resident and she had knowledge of an Emergency Protective Order filed against her to stay away from the location. The officer arrived, located the suspect on the property and detained her. Investigation revealed a valid Emergency Protective Order was in place and the suspect was arrested for violating the court order. She was held pending her court appearance.

Grand Theft Auto

November 4 at 9:20 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1200 block of Los Robles. The vehicle is a black, 2013 Mini Cooper, and the vehicle was stolen from the street sometime overnight. The investigation is continuing.

Tip of the Week

Southern California Edison Scam

There have been reported cases in the area of fraudulent phone calls from Southern California Edison impersonators in an attempt to convince residents that they are late on their utility payment and service is going to be disconnected. Never take action on a request for payment over the phone. Residents have reported that the scammer advised them they had 30 minutes before their service was interrupted. They instructed victims to purchase a prepaid Pay-Pal card in a set cash amount and the scammer called them back to get the Pay Pal account number and security code.

These calls may be convincing, because the scammers use caller ID spoofing to make sure a toll-free phone number came up on the caller ID, they may make up bogus badge numbers and may know your name and address. Sometimes you will even hear background noise that sounds like a call center. And if the victim hangs up, they may get another call seconds later from the same scammer -- or another one urging them to make sure you pay.

To avoid getting duped, don't believe anyone who calls to ask for your credit card number or requests a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. No reputable business will ever ask for payments to be made by prepaid debit card or wire transfer. You should also be immediately suspicious of any caller demanding money, especially if you aren't aware that you owe anything.

If you have been a victim, please report it by calling the Monrovia Police Department.

Tip of the Week

Look Before You Lock NHTSA National Campaign

With summer fast approaching and temperatures heating up across the nation the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is once again warning parents and caregivers of young children to be mindful that it doesn't take long for a child to die of heatstroke if left unattended in a parked car.

It doesn't take much to lose a child to heatstroke. When outside temperatures are in the low 80's, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in only 10 minutes, even with a window rolled down two inches. Children's bodies in particular overheat easily, and infants and children under four years old are at the greatest risk for heatrelated illness.

Heatstroke death and injuries often occur after a child gets into an unlocked vehicle to play without a parent or caregiver's knowledge. Other incidents can occur when a parent or caregiver who is not used to transporting a child as part of their daily routine inadvertently forgets a sleeping infant in a rear-facing seat in the back of the vehicle. 

NHTSA, Safe Kids, and its safety partners urge parents and caregivers to take the following precautions to prevent heatstroke incidents from occurring:

 Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are partially open

or the engine is running and the air conditioning is on;

 Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and

walking away;

 Ask the childcare provider to call if the child doesn't show up for care as expected;

 Do things that serve as a reminder that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a

purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure no child is accidentally left in the

vehicle, or writing a note or using a stuffed animal placed in the driver's view to

indicate a child is in the car seat; and

 Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child's reach.

In addition, community members who see a child alone in a hot vehicle should immediately call 911 or the local emergency number. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled.

To learn more about NHTSA's "Where's Baby? Look before you lock." campaign, visit

www.SaferCar.gov/heatstroke.