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.

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of October 1-3, 2012

Assault With a Deadly Weapon  - Suspect Arrested

October 1 at 3:27 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of East Lemon called police to report that he had been assaulted by his brother.  The victim and his brother became involved in an argument and the brother ran at the victim with a folding knife that was locked in the open position.  As he ran at the victim, he threatened to kill him.  The suspect fled the location, but returned a couple hours later.  He was arrested and taken into custody.  An independent witness observed the crime.

Theft From an Unlocked Vehicle

October 2 at 6:42 p.m., a theft from an unlocked vehicle was reported in the 100 block of North Heliotrope.  The victim parked her vehicle on the street and left it unlocked with the window slightly down.  Unknown suspect(s) entered the vehicle and took the victim's credit cards and iPod from the center console.  Investigation continuing.

Possession of Burglary Tools / Possession of Stolen Property / Possession of Marijuana - Suspects Arrested

October 4 at 4:43 a.m., an officer observed two suspicious male subjects walking in the area of Canyon and Palm.  He turned his unit around and the subjects attempted to flee, but he was able to detain one of them.  Assisting officers arrived and began looking for the second male subject.  He was seen running from a nearby apartment complex and a foot pursuit ensued.  He was located attempting to hide in some bushes and was detained without further incident.  The subject was carrying a backpack which contained a woman's coin purse, a pair of women's prescription eyeglasses, a cell phone that didn't belong to him, and burglary tools.  He was arrested and was found to be currently on parole.  The other subject was cited for possession of marijuana.  Police are attempting to locate the victim(s) of the stolen property.

Tip of the Week

Gun Safety

Even if your family doesn't have a gun in the home, chances are that your child will come in contact with a gun at some time during his or her childhood.  Relatives and neighbors own guns that are probably hidden, but children may find them.  Children are exposed to guns early on from television, cartoons and movies, arousing their natural curiosity. 

The best safety measure for gun safety in the home is to avoid having one in your home.  However, if you already own a gun or plan to purchase one in the future, following the guidelines below can help protect your family's health and safety.  One fatal accident is one too many.

If you own a gun:

*        Always keep your gun unloaded and locked up.

*        Lock and store bullets in a separate location.

*        Make sure children do not have access to the gun lock keys.

If you do not own a gun:

*        Talk with your children about the risk of gun injury outside the home in places where they may visit and play.

*        Tell your children to stay away from guns when they are in the homes of their friends.

*        Speak with the parents of your children's friends to determine whether or not they have a gun in the home.

*        If they do, urge them to empty it out and lock it up.

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of May 28-30, 2012

Domestic Battery

May 28 at 9:21 a.m., a caller reported a male subject assaulting a female subject in the area of Madison and Colorado.  Officers arrived and spoke to both subjects.  Through investigation it was learned that the male subject is the ex-boyfriend of the female and he was forcefully pushing her to walk with him to the store.  She was resisting him, so he clamped his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her hair, trying to force her to walk with him.  The victim was not injured, but does desire prosecution.  An Emergency Protective Order was issued and served.  

Residential Burglary

May 28 at 1:20 p.m., police responded to the report of a residential burglary in the 100 block of Spanner Street.  A female Hispanic suspect, approximately 50 years old, approached the front door of the residence, which is occupied by two elderly women and one of the women's daughters.  Only one of the women was home at the time and her daughter was sleeping in her room.  The suspect spoke to the resident and told her she had purchased the property behind the victim's house and there was a tree problem that she wanted to show her.  The suspect and the victim walked to the rear of the property.  As they did so, the suspect was on the phone the entire time.  Once the suspect left, the victim went back inside her home and found it ransacked and her wallet, cash and jewelry were taken.  The victim observed a dark colored, 4-door vehicle in front of the house during this incident.  Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary

May 28 at 3:13 p.m., a burglary was reported at a business in the 100 block of East Lemon.  The suspect(s) forced a gate and used a pry tool to enter a side door to a conference room.  The alarm sounded and the suspect(s) forcefully tore a flat screen television from its mount and fled the scene.  Investigation continuing.

Grand Theft Auto

May 28 at 7:55 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 400 block of West Foothill.  The victim parked and locked her vehicle in front of the business where she works and left it there over the weekend, as she went out of town.  When she returned on Monday evening, the vehicle was gone.  The vehicle is a white, 2009, 4-door BMW with paper plates.  Investigation continuing.

Grand Theft Auto

May 29 at 7:59 a.m., a grand theft auto was reported in the 300 block of East Lemon.  The victim parked his ATV, a green, 2008 Honda Foreman, in the bed of his pickup truck in his driveway.  Suspect(s) removed the ATV from the bed of the truck sometime overnight.  Investigation continuing.

Daytime Residential Burglaries

Three daytime residential burglaries occurred in the morning and afternoon hours on May 29.  Two occurred in the 100 block of North Alta Vista and one in the 600 block of Terrado.  The victim of the first home on Alta Vista is in the process of moving out and had most of her belongings out of the home.  She was not able to respond, so a family member secured the house.  A list of stolen items will be provided upon her return.  Suspect(s) entered the home by prying open a bathroom window.

Suspect(s) entered the second home burglarized on North Alta Vista by removing three glass louvers from the window and then opening it.  The victim's house was very full of personal items and it was hard to determine what was taken from the property.  The victim reported cash taken.

The third home burglarized is in the 600 block of Terrado.  The victim is an elderly female.  She left the location at 7:45 a.m. and returned at approximately 1:25 p.m.  The suspect(s) went into her garage and obtained a screwdriver and ladder.  They made entry through a front window.  The house was ransacked and the loss was cash and jewelry.  It is unknown if these three burglaries are related.  The investigations are continuing.

Stranded Hiker Rescued

May 29 at 8:01 p.m., dispatch received a call from a 43-year-old female.  She said she was hiking near the Trask Boy Scout Camp when she saw a bear on the road.  She said she was hiding from the bear in some bushes.  Her cell phone signal was breaking up and dispatch lost phone contact with her.  Officers responded and began a search of the area.  The Foothill Air Support helicopter also responded to assist. 

After searching the area for approximately one hour, the woman was found 20 feet below the road at the bottom of a steep hill.  She said that when she saw the bear, she panicked, backed up and fell down the hill.  She was unable to get back to the road without assistance.  The Fire Department responded and assisted her up the hill to safety.  The woman was not injured.

Theft From a Vehicle

May 30 at 3:26 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of East Hillcrest saw a tall male suspect wearing dark clothes tampering with his unlocked car.  The resident yelled at the suspect, who walked away, eastbound on Hillcrest.  The loss was a small amount of change.

Grand Theft Auto

May 30 at 7:04 a.m., a green Honda Accord was reported stolen from the 200 block of West Pomona.  The victim had parked and locked his vehicle in front of his house in the evening.  The vehicle was taken sometime overnight.  The El Monte Police Department called later in the day and advised they had recovered the vehicle.  It had been stripped and abandoned in their city.  Investigation continuing.

Tip of the Week

"KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25" CAMPAIGN

"KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25" is a traffic safety campaign to raise awareness of the residential speed limit.  In California the speed limit in residential areas is 25 MPH, unless posted otherwise.  The goal of the "KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25" organization and the Monrovia Police Department is working together to end injuries and deaths that result from speeding vehicles in our neighborhoods.  The street in front of your home is over twice as dangerous as highways when it comes to number of deaths per miles driven (Federal Highway Administration).

The "KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25" organization, the Monrovia Police Department and the Monrovia Unified School District are working collaboratively to create safe streets through education and active community involvement. 

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of May 21-23, 2012

Fire Assist / Gas Leak

May 21 at 1:33 p.m., police responded to assist the Fire Department on a reported gas leak.  A contractor working at a location in the 100 block of West Colorado struck a gas line, causing a leak.  Residents near the location were evacuated for their safety.  The residents were sheltered at the Community Center and a secondary location in the 100 block of West Olive.  The Gas Company responded and fixed the problem. 

Residential Burglary

May 21 at 10:39 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1100 block of Orange.  The burglary occurred sometime between 3 and 9 p.m.  Unknown suspect(s) entered through an unlocked rear window and jewelry was stolen.  Investigation continuing.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered

May 22 at 3:12 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 200 block of East Chestnut located a stolen vehicle parked in the alley.  The vehicle is a 1996 Honda Accord that was stolen out of the City of Claremont.  Residents in the area stated the vehicle had been parked there for about three days, and no one had been seen around the vehicle.  The vehicle was recovered and Claremont Police Department was notified. 

Commercial Burglary

On May 23 at 4:58 a.m., dispatch received a report of an alarm activation at a business in the 100 block of West Pomona.  When officers arrived, they found the door to the business had been pried open.  Copper wire and pipes had been stolen.  Investigation continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Vehicle Recovered

On May 23 at 8:47 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen in the 1200 block of Alta Vista.  The Vehicle is a black 1996 Honda.  There were no known suspects or evidence at the scene. The vehicle was later recovered in Victorville by San Bernardino Sheriff's Department who also printed the car for us. Investigation continuing.

Grand Theft Motorcycle

On May 23 at 7:28 a.m., a motorcycle was reported stolen in the 300 block of West Duarte Road.  The motorcycle is a black 1988 Yamaha YSR. No known suspects or evidence found.  Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary / Attempt Fraud

On May 23 at 4:55 p.m., an officer responded to the 600 block of Huntington Drive regarding a Commercial Burglary and Fraud occurring in three businesses.  A female had used a fraudulent credit card two times prior and was recognized by the store staff when she attempted to buy products using a fraudulent card again. When they advised her they were calling the credit card company, she fled from the store. The suspect is described as a female white or Hispanic, 5-5, 25 years old, blonde hair and appears to be pregnant.  As she fled she was joined by a Hispanic male wearing a sports type jersey. It was later determined that the male suspect had also attempted two fraudulent purchases in the 600 block of Huntington. The male suspect fled when officers arrived in the area. A search was conducted but the male and female were not found. A total of three incidents of burglary/fraud were established in which the male or the female were the suspects.   Investigation continuing.

Medical Assist

May 23 at 8:31 p.m., an officer responded to the 200 block of North Alta Vista regarding a call of a male who collapsed and was possibly having a heart attack. When the officer arrived he administered CPR for approximately 2-3 minutes before paramedics arrived.  As of this morning, the subject is recovering in the Intensive Care Unit.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle

On May 23 at 11:04 p.m., an officer was in the 300 block of West Cypress on a different call when he observed a suspicious vehicle parked at the location and ran the plate.  The vehicle was reported stolen out of Azusa.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Arrested

On May 24 at 3:24 a.m., officers responded to the 600 block of West Olive regarding subjects drinking in the park. Officers detained several subjects; one subject was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. The others were field interviewed and released.

 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Tip of the Week

Damage to a Gas Pipeline or Meter - Safety Tips From The Gas Company

Leaking gas from any damaged pipeline or gas meter could cause a fire, explosion, property damage and serious bodily injury.

Follow these guidelines if you encounter a leaking gas pipe or meter:

            REMAIN calm.

            DON'T light a match, candle or cigarette.

DON'T turn electrical devices on or off, including light switches.

DON'T start an engine or use any device, including a telephone, which could cause a spark.

IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the area, and from a safe location, call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

CALL 911 promptly after evacuating the area if the damage results in a natural gas leak that may endanger life or cause bodily harm or property damage.

DO NOT attempt to control the leak or repair the damaged pipe or meter. Do not use or turn off any equipment that could cause a spark. Motorized or electrically powered equipment or vehicles may create an ignition source if a gas leak is present. Safely abandon any motorized or powered equipment or vehicles. Gas leaking from a plastic pipe can create static electricity that can ignite the gas.

MPD issues Coyote Warning in Robo-dial

For those of you who don't have a local number on a land line you missed out on an important "robo-dial" recorded message from Monrovia PD this afternoon, Saturday 1/31 around noon.

The gist, and pardon the paraphrase;

" Good afternoon, this is a Public Safety Announcement from the Monrovia Police Department.  Monrovia Animal Control has identified 2 coyotes that have lost their natural fear of humans.  They are found around the Grand Avenue Park and wander several blocks in all directions.

Monrovia Police Department asks that you watch your surroundings at all time.  MPD asks that you watch your small children and animals at all times when they are outdoors.

Monrovia Police Department and the California Department of Fish and Game are working together for a resolution.

If you have any additional questions or concerns please contact the Monrovia Police Department at: 626-256-8000"

Julie and I talked about this very issue earlier this week after Joey and I had spotted a coyote on the street around 8PM.  She had learned from Laurie Cohen she had seen a coyote also on that Saturday.  Things like not leaving food out for pets, bringing the small pets indoors at night, and in particular keeping close eye on the kids when they are out is needed.

As always, share what you know with us.  We'll do the same.  Be safe all!