TIP OF THE WEEK - Telephone Scams

Telephone Scams
The Monrovia Police Department would like to alert the public to several telephone scams that are currently targeting the public. The scams are known as the IRS Scam, the Southern California Edison Scam, the Grandparent scam, and the Telephone Scam Targeting the Elderly.
Internal Revenue Service Telephone Scam
The Internal Revenue Service reminds 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.
People have reported a particularly aggressive phone scam in the last several months. Immigrants are frequently targeted. Potential victims are threatened with deportation, arrest, having their utilities shut off, or having their driver’s licenses revoked. Callers are frequently insulting or hostile - apparently to scare their potential victims.
Potential victims may be told they are entitled to big refunds, or that they owe money that must be paid immediately to the IRS. When unsuccessful the first time, sometimes phone scammers call back trying a new strategy.
Other characteristics of this scam include:
• Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers. They generally use common names and surnames to identify themselves.
• Scammers may be able to recite the last four digits of a victim’s Social Security number.
• Scammers spoof the IRS toll-free number on caller ID to make it appear that it’s the IRS calling.
• Scammers sometimes send bogus IRS emails to some victims to support their bogus calls.
• Victims hear background noise of other calls being conducted to mimic a call site.
• After threatening victims with jail time or driver’s license revocation, scammers hang up and others soon call back pretending to be from the local police or DMV, and the caller ID supports their claim.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here’s what you should do:
• If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue, if there really is such an issue.
• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you’ve never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484.
• You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
Taxpayers should be aware that there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the e-mail to phishing@irs.gov.
More information on how to report phishing scams involving the IRS is available on the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.

Southern California Edison Telephone Scam Utility bill scammers are once again targeting customers throughout the United States by phone and sometimes even email. In both scenarios, the scammers often request personal information and threaten to cut off electrical service if they do not receive immediate payment.
Some Southern California Edison (SCE) customers have reported receiving these suspicious emails that look like a bill. Others have reported aggressive phone scams threatening immediate service disconnection if customers don’t pay a purported overdue bill.
“SCE never uses high-pressure tactics to collect or demand money for past due bills,” said Marlyn Denter, SCE’s manager of Consumer Affairs. “We are not in the business of threatening our customers with the immediate termination of service.”
This latest email scam follows a recent utility phone scam where more than 2,000 SCE customers were targeted. Unfortunately, more than 300 customers have fallen victim to the scam, many of them mom and pop business owners and entrepreneurs whose first language is not English.
The scammers often demand immediate payment through a prepaid cash card or debit card. The average loss for SCE business customers last year was between $800 and $1,000; residential customer lost an average of between $300 and $500. Overall, the total losses so far for SCE customers are estimated at $225,000.
“We ask our customers to be alert to these scams that demand immediate payment and threaten service disconnection,” said Denter.
If SCE customers receive suspicious emails, they should never click on any links or attachments, and never send a reply. Customers should also delete the email. If a customer has been victimized, they can report it online to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force at StopFraud.gov.
SCE customers suspecting a fraudulent call should ask for the caller’s name, department and business phone number. If the caller refuses to provide this information, customers should terminate the call and report the incident immediately to local police.
In either situation, customers should contact SCE at 800-655-4555.
Southern California Edison Scam
This particular scam targets businesses. The Suspects in this scam call the business claiming to be in billing or collections for SCE and/or Verizon. The caller tells the business their services are going to be shut off within 45 minutes to an hour, and a crew has been dispatched to cut off service unless a same-day payment is made immediately. They claim their records show the business is late on their payment and the service to the business will be affected within the hour.
The caller then requests payment by a prepaid VISA or Money Pak Card and tells the business where they are available. A number of businesses in Monrovia have been taken by the scam and the loss is usually about $500-$800. The suspects sound seemingly legitimate and are targeting businesses, as businesses typically cannot afford to be without phones or power over the weekend.
This is NOT normal SCE or Verizon protocol, SCE and Verizon do not shut off service on the weekends.
Grandparent Scam – Don’t Be a Victim
The suspects in this type of scam will call an elderly person and pretend to be a grandchild or young relative of the victim. They tell the elderly victim they are in some type of trouble and are in jail, and that they need bail money. They ask the elderly person not to tell their parents. A second suspect then calls pretending to be the police and proceeds to give the victim instructions on were to wire the bail money.
The suspects target older folks, hoping they can gain an emotional and quick response to the "need" to help out the young relative, and many times it works. The victims will quickly go to their bank, withdraw and transfer the money in an attempt to help, and by the time they realize the scam, the money has already been picked up by the suspects and is gone.
It is so important to spread awareness and to educate those that we know in hopes of preventing this crime from happening. If you have a loved one, a friend, or perhaps a neighbor that is older, share this information with them and help keep them from becoming a victim.
Telephone Scam Targeting the Elderly
The Monrovia Police Department has received several calls from elderly Monrovia citizens reporting the following telephone scam:
The elderly victim receives a call stating they owe money for an outstanding debt. The suspect soon states if they don’t pay this debt, a warrant could be issued for their arrest, their bank account will be put on hold, and there is a possibility they will lose their house. The suspect then tells the victim if they want to resolve the matter, they need to purchase a Greendot prepaid money card with a certain amount, usually not more than $500.00. Once the victim obtains the card, they are to call back and give the card number so it can be verified. The suspect then transfers the money from the victim’s card to another card and the money is gone. If the victim falls for the scam, the suspect sometimes calls back and tries to solicit additional money from the victim.
Please be aware of this scam and let others know this is going on so we can prevent this crime. Please inform your loved ones, especially the elderly, as they are the targets of this particular scam. Let them know to never give out personal information to anyone over the phone. A legitimate company would not operate by asking for personal information over the phone; they would have your information already.

Highlighted Activity for April 17-19, 2017

Parole Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 17 at 9:09 a.m., a male subject was reported loitering on a property in the 500 block of S. Mountain. Officers arrived and a computer check of the subject revealed he had an outstanding parole warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
Injury Traffic Collision
April 17 at 10:26 a.m., an officer was dispatched to an injury traffic collision involving a commercial dump truck that was traveling east on Walnut and failed to maneuver a slight turn at California Avenue, clipping a fire hydrant. The water from the hydrant went into the Edison power lines, causing intermittent power outages in the area. Southern California Edison responded to evaluate the lines and the Monrovia Fire Department shut off the hydrant.
Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 18 at 3:00 p.m., a traffic collision was reported at Mountain and Royal Oaks. The driver attempted to make a turn onto Royal Oaks and struck a vehicle, then hit the center median and came to a rest. The investigation revealed the driver to be under the influence of some type of intoxicant, possibly an inhalant. He was arrested and held for a sobering period. He was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.
Petty Theft
April 18 at 8:54 p.m., a theft of merchandise was reported at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. A male suspect took two leaf blowers and ran out the garden area of the store to the parking lot. The suspect attempted to get into a white Saturn with no license plates, when he realized he left the keys in the ignition and locked the doors before he entered the store. He dropped the leaf blowers and ran through the parking lot, out of sight. Officers searched for the suspect, but he was not located. The suspect’s vehicle was impounded. Later, the suspect called the business and asked for his vehicle back, but was told it was impounded by the police. The suspect was found to be on probation for theft and he refused to come to the police station for an interview. The investigation is continuing.
Telephone Scams
April 19 at 10:53 a.m., telephone scams were reported to police by two separate victims. The first victim received a phone call from a male suspect demanding money. The suspect told the victim he had his mother and if the money was not received, his mother would be harmed. The victim could hear an elderly female voice in the background, asking for help. The victim believed what the caller was telling him, and in fear for his mother’s safety, he drove to his bank to withdraw money. A coworker of the victim called police to report the incident and an officer responded to the bank. The officer arrived and contacted the victim as he was walking into the bank. The investigation determined that the phone call was a scam.
At 12:22 p.m., a second victim came into the police station to report another telephone scam. The suspect in this incident pretended to be a relative of the victim in need of money to get out of trouble. The victim in this incident realized the phone call was a scam and hung up the phone. She reported the incident so others would be aware.

Tip of the Week - Car Repair Scam on the elderly

Tip of the Week

Vehicle Repair Scams Targeting the Elderly In the last five months, the city of Monrovia
has had four reported vehicle repair scams targeting elderly victims that occurred in the
Huntington Oaks parking lot. Arcadia has Also been getting hit with these scams.

The suspects are described as male Hispanics/middle eastern, 5’4” to 5’10,” thin
build, approximately 40-50 years old. The suspects tend to move around a lot from city
to city, committing these crimes.
There are two different variations of this scam. The first is when the victim parks their vehicle and a male subject (the scammer) either parks next to the victim or approaches the victim’s driver side front door on foot. The scammer tells the victim that something is wrong with their vehicle, and in some cases, the victim could not close their driver side front door. One victim reported seeing the scammer holding a small screwdriver, possibly what the scammer used to prevent the victim from closing their door. The suspect then claims he just happens to be an auto mechanic and he can fix the
problem.

He inspects underneath the steering column and produces something as evidence, such as a burnt fuse. The scammer then tells the victim that he has a replacement fuse. The scammer reaches back inside the vehicle and claims to have fixed the problem. Once this is done, the victim’s driver side front door is able to close.

The second scam is when the scammer watches the victim leave their vehicle and then does something to disable it. When the victim returns, the vehicle will not start. The scammer uses the same ploy as above and says he can fix it. He reaches underneath the steering column and “fixes” the problem. The scammer tells the victim that he/she needs to pay for the cost of the replacement part. In most cases, the scammer asks for a ridiculously high amount, anywhere from $400.00 to $8,000.00. Unfortunately, the victim will agree on the price or sometimes asks to lower the amount. Once a price is agreed upon, the scammer asks to get into the victim’s vehicle (sometimes drive it) and drive to the victim’s local bank or a bank kiosk. The victim pays the scammer and the scammer leaves.

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Please share this with the elderly neighbors who may not read the blog or are not internet capable in general.  This is importnat information they need to have.

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of March 10-12, 2014

Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 10 at 1:51 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of South Violet called police and
reported a suspect inside a neighbor's house. The suspect was seen leaving the
residence holding a tub of ice cream, which he was eating with a spoon. The suspect
was reportedly going door-to-door, trying doorknobs to see if he could gain entrance.
Officers responded along with the Foothill Air Support Team helicopter, which helped
direct officers to the suspect. The suspect had entered several homes ending up at a
residence in the 400 block of South Sunset. While officers were checking the rear of
the location, the suspect exited the home but would not comply with the officer’s
commands. The suspect appeared to be under the influence and took aggressive steps
toward the officers. The officers hit the suspect with a beanbag round in an attempt to
get him to comply, and the suspect fled back into the residence. Containment of the
area was established and Monrovia High School was placed on lockdown by the district
as the residence backs up to the school.
After a 45 minute standoff, the suspect eventually exited the residence and was taken
into custody. He was evaluated by paramedics and taken to a hospital for clearance.
The suspect told officers he was under the influence of bath salts. He was later
released, brought to Monrovia Police Department for booking, and then taken Los
Angeles County Jail for housing.
Burglary / Assault with a Deadly Weapon / Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
March 10 at 3:45 p.m., police responded to a business in the 1600 block of South
Mountain. A subject was seen entering the men’s restroom with a can of computer dust
cleaner. A loss prevention officer walked in and saw the subject was inhaling the
substance. Loss Prevention officers followed the subject as he exited the store.
As the suspect exited the store, he noticed loss prevention following him. Before they
could detain him, he smashed a passing vehicle's window and then pulled out a paint
can opener and threatened to stab the loss prevention officers, who then grabbed a
crowbar to protect themselves. They tried to stop the subject, but he fled the location.
He was stopped by the responding officers a block away and taken into custody.
Vehicle Burglary
March 11 at 7:40 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of Seymour Place reported a vehicle
burglary. Unknown suspect(s) smashed a window on the vehicle and stole items from
inside. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
March 11 at 10:14 a.m., a victim came into the police department to report a vehicle
burglary. The victim believes the burglary occurred the day prior while he was parked in
a business parking lot in the 500 block of West Huntington. The victim parked his
vehicle in the lot and went into a restaurant to eat. He believes unknown suspect(s)
went into the vehicle, opened the trunk of the vehicle and his tools from the trunk. The
victim does not remember if he locked the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
March 11 at 2:50 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the police department lobby on the
report of a vehicle burglary. The victim parked her vehicle at her residence in the 200
block of East Lemon. She reported that someone entered her vehicle and took her
purse, which she had left on the floorboard of the vehicle under a sweatshirt. She found
her purse in the trashcan behind her home. The purse had been emptied out on the
ground by the trashcan and her identification was missing from the purse.
Theft from an Unlocked Vehicle
March 11 at 4:15 p.m., a resident from the 100 block of North May Avenue reported a
theft from his vehicle. Unknown suspect(s) entered the unlocked vehicle overnight and
took the victim’s wallet, which he had left inside.
Commercial Burglary
March 11 at 5:00 p.m., loss prevention from a business in the 500 block of West
Huntington phoned police to report a female suspect inside the store, concealing items
into her purse and on her person. She emptied the contents of her purse before
leaving, but fled the store with the items concealed on her person. She was detained
outside the store by responding officers and arrested for burglary.
Brandishing a Replica Firearm – Suspect Arrested
March 12 at 1:00 a.m., security from a bar in the 300 block of South Myrtle called police
to report that a 21-year-old male subject had brandished a black handgun at them and
yelled at them for no apparent reason. The suspect was last seen entering a bar in the
400 block of South Myrtle.
Officers arrived at the location, surrounded the bar and located the suspect in the rear
alley. He appeared to drop something in the shadows of the alley when officers told him
to stop. The officers detained him and recovered the gun on the ground next to him. It
was a black, metal, Airsoft pellet gun, which had the red tip removed. After the suspect
was positively identified by the victim, he was arrested for brandishing a replica firearm.
Criminal Threats / Obstructing or Resisting Officers with Violence – Suspect
Arrested
March 12 at 10:36 p.m., officers responded to an apartment in the 800 block of West
Walnut regarding a 16-year-old male juvenile who had been making threats to kill his
family members, as well as punching holes in his bedroom wall. When officers arrived
and attempted to speak with the juvenile, he yelled obscenities at them and became
physically violent toward them. A struggle ensued during the attempt to arrest the
juvenile for criminal threats, but the officers were able to detain the juvenile and took
him into custody. Both of the officers sustained injuries during the altercation due to the
juvenile flailing around so violently. The juvenile was arrested and taken to Los Angeles
County Juvenile Hall, where he will be held until his appearance.
During the altercation with the 16-year-old male, one of his sisters outside of the room
had to be taken into custody to keep her from entering the room. She refused to
cooperate with officers and began yelling obscenities at assisting officers.
Wanted Persons Arrest for Robbery
March 13 at 12:59 a.m., sheriff's deputies stopped a suspicious male subject at Buena
Vista and Central. A computer check revealed he was wanted by the Monrovia Police
Department for robbery. Monrovia officers responded and took custody of the suspect.
The suspect was wanted for a robbery that occurred at a park in the 800 block of East
Olive on November 10, 2013. Several suspects had approached the victims at the park.
One of the suspects threatened the victim’s with a machete and they took a computer
and one of the victim’s wallets and fled the area.

Tip of the Week

Scam Alert - Business Utilities Shut-Off Threat
The Monrovia Police Department wants to alert the public to a scam that has been
occurring in the area targeting businesses.
The Suspects in this scam call the business claiming to be in billing or collections for
Southern California Edison (SCE) and/or Verizon. The caller tells the business their
services are going to be shut off within 45 minutes to an hour, and a crew has already
been dispatched to cut off the service unless a same-day payment is made
immediately. They claim their records show the business is late on their payment and
the service to the business will be affected within the hour.
The caller then requests the payment be made by a prepaid VISA or Money Pak Card
and then tells the business where they are available. The suspects sound seemingly
legitimate and are targeting businesses, as businesses typically cannot afford to be
without phones or power over the weekend.
It is NOT normal SCE or Verizon protocol to shut off service on the weekends.
The Monrovia Police Department is asking the public to spread awareness to this scam
in hopes of preventing this crime from happening and to help keep Monrovia businesses
from becoming the victim. Please be aware that utility companies do not work this way
and always call the company to verify any information. If you feel something is
suspicious, you can always call the Monrovia Police Department at (626) 256-8000.

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of January 27-29, 2014

Grand Opening of Pasadena Humane Society’s New Facility

On January 30, 2014, Mayor Mary Ann Lutz and Councilmember Larry Spicer attended the grand opening of Pasadena Humane Society's new facility.  The City of Monrovia has contracted with the Pasadena Humane Society for animal control services beginning January 1, 2014.  The new facility has greatly increased parking facilities and state of the art medical facilities to provide additional services to Monrovia residents.  There is a pet store located on the campus along with facilities to provide training for pets and their owners.   The Monrovia Police Department encourages Monrovia residents to visit the new facility and take advantage of the services they provide.  Residents are also encouraged to consider adopting one of the many wonderful animals available for adoption there.  You can find out more at www.pasadenahumane.org

Grand Theft / Conspiracy to Commit a Crime – Suspect Arrested

On January 29 at 2:05 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of West Colorado regarding a possible robbery in progress.  The victim a long time resident of Monrovia was approached by a male suspect who talked the victim into matching his funds and making a donation to a charity. The suspect had two other suspects help convince the victim to take $9,000.00 from his bank account. The money was taken out and the suspects were able to switch the bags where the monies were. Two of the suspects that had the money jumped into their lay-off vehicle and fled, leaving the 3^rd suspect behind. He was detained by the victim’s son in law. The suspect was charged with grand theft and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Brandishing a Weapon

On January 29 at 7:53 p.m., a mother and her daughter were in a shopping center parking lot in the 600 block of West Huntington, when an angry female began yelling at them from her vehicle over an apparent parking issue.  The suspect brandished a knife toward the victims and began yelling at them, then drove away quickly out of the parking lot out of sight.  Investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspects Arrested

On January 29 at 11:14 p.m., an officer observed a silver Honda Civic traveling west on Olive, commit a vehicle code violation.  A computer check revealed the vehicle had been a reported stolen in the city of El Monte, where it had been parked for sale.  The officer waited for assistance and the vehicle was stopped.  The male driver admitted that he knew the vehicle was stolen.  The female passenger was in possession of burglary tools.  Both occupants were arrested and the vehicle was released to its owner.  The driver was charged with grand theft auto, and the passenger was charged with possession of burglary tools.

Detective Bureau Case Follow-up

Possession of Methamphetamine / Possession of Narcotics Paraphernalia / Suspended Driver’s License - Suspects Arrested and Cited

On January 23, Special Enforcement Officers stopped a suspicious vehicle parked in the north end where a residential alarm had gone off.  The passenger was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of a smoking pipe.  The driver was cited for driving on a suspended driver’s license and his vehicle was stored.

Possession of Narcotics / Probation Violation – Suspect Arrested

On January 28, officers from West San Gabriel Valley Anti-Crime Task Force (WSGVACTF) assigned to monitor the early release population (AB 109) conducted probation compliance checks in Monrovia. A recent check resulted in the apprehension of one suspect who attempted to hide narcotics from the officers. Charges for violation of probation and felony possession of narcotics will be filed with the District Attorney.

AB109 Compliance Team arrests Monrovia Probationer for Suspected Burglary at Cal Tech

Members of the West San Gabriel Valley Anti-Crime Task Force (WSGVACTF) located and arrested a burglary suspect earlier today after an approximate 2-hour search. Team members were conducting an unrelated probation investigation in Pasadena when Caltech Security personnel notified Pasadena PD of an auto burglary in progress in the 1100 block of Blanche St.  The WSGVACTF members were in the area of Caltech and responded to assist on the call.  The suspect fled from Caltech Security and hid inside the large, 4-building apartment complex.  Pasadena PD officers contained the area while the WSGVACTF conducted a sweep of the complex.  The suspect was eventually found hiding in a 3rd floor laundry chute. The suspect maneuvered his way to the lower floor at the direction of officers and was taken into custody.  Joseph A. Naylor, 34-year-old resident of Monrovia, was arrested and booked at the Pasadena City Jail on a felony burglary charge with his bail set at $50,000.00.  Naylor is currently on probation for property related crime and is believed to be an AB 109 early release subject.  The West San Gabriel Valley Anti-Crime Task Force is based out of the Arcadia Police Department and the primary focus of the team is AB 109 compliance. The team is led by a Pasadena PD Sergeant and has assigned Detectives from Arcadia PD, El Monte PD, Monrovia PD, Monterey Park PD, Pasadena PD, and South Pasadena PD. Other participating agencies include the Alhambra PD, Montebello PD, and San Gabriel PD. Costs associated for the team are offset by contributions from the State for an AB 109 enforcement program approved in the State budget.

Fraud Suspects Identified 

In September, a fraud case was assigned to a Detective regarding a victim who had purchased a car on Craig’s List using “money packs”. The car was determined to belong to another person and was not actually for sale. The thieves took the money and disappeared. The suspects were determined to be from the state of Georgia. The detective assigned the case contacted a detective in the jurisdiction of Georgia and they provided assistance on the case. The suspects were identified and were known to have a history of similar crimes. A case was generated in Georgia and the two suspects, a male and a female, are now wanted in Georgia. This case is a great example of collaborative effort by two hard working detectives who work at opposite ends of our country.

  

Tip of the Week

Living With Wildlife in Monrovia

The foothills above Monrovia are occupied by wildlife:  bears, coyotes, deer, mountain lions, and bobcats.  Sometimes these wild animals venture out of the foothills and into residential neighborhoods.  Most of the time, the wildlife comes and goes without notice.  Occasionally, wildlife ventures down into the city and becomes a potential danger to humans.  Police will respond when called to a wildlife sighting, and in most incidents, the primary goal is to allow the animal to leave the area and return back to the foothills.  In most incidents, the officer’s presence, use of vehicles, horns, beanbag rounds, is sufficient to encourage the animal to leave the area.  To discourage wildlife from coming down into Monrovia neighborhoods, residents need to keep food, trash and water sources out of reach of wildlife.   

The Department of Fish and Game offers tips on dealing with wildlife.  They also offer good information on how to respond when faced with an actual encounter with wildlife.  Click on the links to the brochures provided by the Department of Fish and Game that deal specifically with mountain lions, black bears, and other wildlife.  More and more, people and wildlife are occupying the same geographical areas; learn how to live responsibly with the wildlife around your neighborhood. 

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of October 7-9, 2013

Annoying Phone Calls / Grandparent Scam

October 7 at 3:22 p.m., a phone scam was reported from a resident in the 100 block of North Magnolia.  The resident received calls telling her that her grandson was in jail in Puerto Vallarta.  The caller wanted 10,000 dollars in 100 dollar bills placed throughout a magazine and mailed to a location in New York.  The victim stopped and confirmed both of her grandsons were in the United States, and then reported the incident to police.  The victim did not suffer any loss.

Fight in Progress / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Warrant – Suspects Arrested

October 8 at 9:25 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 900 block of South Fifth Avenue on the report of two male subjects fighting in the hotel hallway.  One of the suspects left the location prior to the officers arriving.  Officers located the other male suspect in a hotel room, along with two female subjects.  One of the females was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of San Bernardino, and the second female was arrested for possession of a methamphetamine pipe.  A baggie of methamphetamine was found in the hotel, which possibly belonged to the outstanding male suspect.

Tip of the Week

Grandparent Scam – Don’t Be a Victim

The suspects in this type of scam will call an elderly person and pretend to be a grandchild or young relative of the victim.  They tell the elderly victim they are in some type of trouble and are in jail, and that they need bail money.  They ask the elderly person not to tell their parents.  A second suspect then calls pretending to be the police and proceeds to give the victim instructions on were to wire the bail money.  

The suspects target older folks, hoping they can gain an emotional and quick response to the "need" to help out the young relative, and many times it works.  The victims will quickly go to their bank, withdraw and transfer the money in an attempt to help, and by the time they realize the scam, the money has already been picked up by the suspects and is gone.

It is so important to spread awareness and to educate those that we know in hopes of preventing this crime from happening.  If you have a loved one, a friend, or perhaps a neighbor that is older, share this information with them and help keep them from becoming a victim. 

Highlighted Activity for the Weekend of May 9-12, 2013

Telephone Scam Targeting the Elderly

The Monrovia Police Department has recently received several calls from elderly Monrovia citizens reporting the following telephone scam: 

The elderly victim receives a call stating they owe money for an outstanding debt.  The suspect soon states if they don’t pay this debt, a warrant could be issued for their arrest, their bank account will be put on hold, and there is a possibility they will lose their house.  The suspect then tells the victim if they want to resolve the matter, they need to purchase a Greendot prepaid money card with a certain amount, usually not more than $500.00.  Once the victim obtains the card, they are to call back and give the card number so it can be verified.  The suspect then transfers the money from the victim’s card to another card and the money is gone.  If the victim falls for the scam, the suspect sometimes calls back and tries to solicit additional money from the victim. 

Please be aware of this scam and let others know this is going on so we can prevent this crime.  Please inform your loved ones, especially the elderly, as they are the targets of this particular scam.  Let them know to never give out personal information to anyone over the phone.  A legitimate company would not operate by asking for personal information over the phone; they would have your information already. 

Vandalism / Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested

May 11 at 2:05 a.m., police responded to the report of a disturbing female subject at a business in the 1800 block of Walker that was refusing to leave.  Officers arrived and located the subject.  The female had been drinking and was combative.  She had kicked a male acquaintance’s vehicle, causing a dent in the vehicle.  She was determined to be intoxicated and a danger to herself and others; she was arrested for being drunk in public. 

Hiker Enters Closed Burn Area – Receives Civil Citation

May 11 at 11:30 a.m., a hiker was observed entering the closed burn area at Highland Place by a park ranger.  Signs are posted prohibiting hikers from entering the area for their own safety.  When the park ranger warned the hiker and told him not to enter the area, the hiker ignored him and told the ranger to call the police, and he said he was going to keep walking.  The police department was called and officers responded to the location.  The suspect stopped for the officers; he was issued a civil Administrative Citation for entering the restricted burn area.

Commercial Burglary – Suspect Arrested

May 11 at 11:39 a.m., a suspect entered a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain Avenue, selected an automatic utility pump and put it in a cart.  The suspect walked around the store with the cart for a while and then attempted to exit the store without paying for the merchandise.  He was followed out of the store by loss prevention.  When contacted, the suspect attempted to push the loss prevention officer and a struggle ensued.  He was eventually taken into custody by loss prevention.  Officers responded to the location and the suspect was arrested.

Roofing Scam in Monrovia

Cyrus Kemp who runs the Monrovia City Watch blog advised he was interviewed by KCAL/KCBS. He is a Neighborhood watch captain. He got calls from his neighbors regarding calls from a "city employee" regarding need to do roof inspections. Its a scam. Full story on the Monrovia City Watch blog.