ARCADIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

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Calls for Criminal Activity
Totals Year-to-Date (thru 1/3)
                                      -- Calls for Service: 345
                                             2008 Total: 49.699
                                -- Formal Investigations: 42
                                              Total 2008: 6,705

Recent Calls of Criminal Activity
From Sunday, Dec. 28 - Saturday, Jan. 3, the Police Department responded to 895 calls for service, of which 111 required formal investigations. The following is a summary report of the major incidents handled by the Department during this period (listed here in crime categories created by Arcadia's Best; for original chronological reports from the past couple of months at police web site, click here).

Auto Burglary/Stolen Car
* Units were dispatched to Public Storage, 12340 Lower Azusa, around 2:02 p.m. Monday regarding a recovered stolen vehicle in the parking lot. The 1993 Honda Accord was reported stolen on Dec. 22, and officers found that the in-dash radio was removed and wires were hanging from the steering column.
* An auto burglary occurred at 405 South Santa Anita between 9:15 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. Wednesday. Unknown suspect gained entry into an unlocked car and removed a $5,000 Rolex watch.
* Shortly after 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, an auto burglary occurred at 41 Wheeler. The victim went to the Post Office to drop off a letter and when she returned to her vehicle, she discovered that her car window was smashed and her purse stolen. Witnesses saw the theft take place and officers, who just happened to be at the scene, were told of the incident. A male suspect was seen fleeing the area in a silver Honda Accord and a pursuit ensued. The suspect drove recklessly on the freeway and CHP took charge of the pursuit while APD trailed at a distance. After a 40-mile pursuit, the 43-year-old Caucasian was apprehended at a Holiday Inn in Buena Park.

Drugs/Alcohol
* Around 12:39 a.m. Thursday, officers observed a speeding vehicle and a traffic stop was initiated at Sixth and Live Oak. A 51-year-old female Asian driver was contacted and officers detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath and person. Two open bottles of wine were found on the floorboard. A field sobriety test was conducted, and it was determined that she was operating the vehicle while inebriated and was arrested.
* An injury traffic collision occurred at Huntington and La Cadena shortly after 10:00 p.m. Saturday. The driver lost control of the vehicle while making a turn, struck a curb, knocked over a light pole, and then hit a parked vehicle. One male passenger was trapped in the vehicle; the other male passenger was found in the street with a skull fracture and was taken to a hospital for treatment. An 18-year-old male driver was found standing outside the vehicle and he admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day. A backpack was discovered in some nearby bushes with cold bottles of alcohol, a scale, and a glass-smoking pipe. Inside the vehicle, officers found a container of marijuana with many small zip lock baggies. The driver was arrested at the scene for possession of marijuana for sale.

Business Theft/Burglary/Robbery
* A grand theft occurred at Ralphs, 1101 West Huntington, between 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 21 and 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 29. While conducting inventory, an employee discovered about 30 bottles of shampoo were stolen. The total reported loss was over $1,600.
* Between 8:55 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. Friday, a grand theft occurred at the Arcadia Market parking lot located at 645 West Duarte. Unknown suspect took a purse containing a large amount of jewelry from an unlocked car. The victim reported a loss of about $80,000.
* Loss prevention personnel from JC Penney advised that they had detained a man for theft around 10:00 p.m. Friday. The suspect took merchandise into a fitting room, hid the items in a bag, and left the store without making payment. A private person’s arrest was made, and the 18-year-old Hispanic was taken into custody for commercial burglary and petty theft with prior conviction. During the booking search, additional stolen property from Macy’s and Anchor Blue were also recovered.
* At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, units were dispatched to the Santa Anita racetrack in reference to a commercial burglary that took place prior to November 18. Several pieces of artwork, including a bronze statue of a horse and rider, were moved from a conference room to an office in preparation for a movie shoot. An employee noticed on Dec. 26 that the statue was missing, and the cost to replace the statue will be $15,000.

Residential Burglary/Theft
* Between noon on Dec. 25 and 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28, a residential burglary occurred in the 1600 block of Wesley. Unknown suspect(s) broke a sliding glass door to gain entry into the home. Once inside, the suspect(s) ransacked rooms and stole televisions, camera equipment, jewelry, and cash for a loss of about $22,000.
* A grand theft occurred in the 500 block of North Altura between 8:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. Monday. Unknown suspect entered the rear yard and stole the gardener’s $400 weedeater.
* Six petty thefts occurred between 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 400 and 500 blocks of Leda, 300 block of East Camino Real, 400 block of Patricia, 1200 block of South Fifth, and 500 block of Peachtree. A male Hispanic or Caucasian was seen at one location removing a UPS package from the doorway and replacing it with an empty package. Investigation revealed that the suspect took the delivered packages, removed the items from inside, resealed the packages, and left an empty package at the next theft location.

Identity Theft
* A victim came to the station around 4:56 p.m. Sunday to file an identity theft report. On Dec. 22, a credit card company representative informed her that $8,000 in suspicious charges was made in Las Vegas. The victim did not make those charges and her account was closed. Since that time, she has received a new Sears credit card that she did not request.

Argument
* Units responded to Huntington and Centennial around 4:47 p.m. Thursday in reference to a verbal argument. A 37-year-old male Caucasian was contacted and a record check revealed that he had a $30,000 outstanding warrant. The man was arrested at the scene without incident.

Click two images below for videos of Police volunteers.

Click image below for video tour of police station.

Click image below for video of dedication to
Arcadia's only officer who died in the line of duty.