The Arcadia Police Department responded to 916 calls for service from Sunday, Oct. 25 to Saturday, Oct. 31, of which 119 required formal investigations. Here is a summary report of the major incidents handled by the officers of the Arcadia Police Department during this period. (Listed in crime categories created by Arcadia’s Best).
ARCADIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Calls for Criminal Activity Totals Year-to-Date (thru 10/31) Calls for Service: 42,453 (2008 Total: 49,699) Formal Investigations: 5,998 (Total 2008: 6,705)
Residential burglary A residential burglary occurred between 11:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the 900 block of Fairview. Unknown suspect(s) entered the home by unknown means and stole cash.
Auto theft/burglary * An auto burglary occurred at 24-Hour Fitness, 125 North First, between 7:40 a.m. and 9:10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Unknown suspect entered a locked vehicle by unknown means and stole the victim’s purse. * Two grand theft autos were reported; a 1997 Honda Accord was stolen from the 800 block of East Winnie between 12:30 a.m. and 9:33 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, and a 1992 Honda Accord was stolen from the racetrack between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. * Shortly after 10:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, units were called to the 00 block of Alta in reference to an auto burglary in progress. The victim saw a male African-American exit her vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Officers located an 18-year-old subject matching the suspect’s description and was detained. The man was confrontational and failed to follow officers’ commands, and a stereo face plate was found on his person during a cursory search. He was arrested for receiving stolen property, obstructing/resisting, and providing a false name to officers. * An auto burglary occurred at 24-Hour Fitness, 125 North First, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Unknown suspect entered the locked car and stole $1,795 in property.
Business theft * Between 11:37 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25 and 7:15 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, a commercial burglary occurred at a restaurant in the 1000 block of South Baldwin. Unknown suspect(s) entered a locked office through the ceiling and stole cash. * A grand theft was reported at the racetrack around 8:26 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. Pine shavings that are used for bedding race horses were stolen between August 25 and August 30, and the total reported loss is estimated at $10,000. * Between 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, a commercial burglary occurred in the 00 block of East Duarte. The manager arrived at the location and found the front door unlocked and a cash box was missing. * Around 9:20 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, units responded to CVS Pharmacy, 1401 South Baldwin, regarding a commercial burglary that just occurred. A male Hispanic suspect went to a cashier carrying a basket filled with merchandise. He claimed that he had left his wallet in his car, so he left the basket, exited the store, and parked his brown Honda near the entrance. The suspect re-entered the store, grabbed the basket, and fled without making payment. * Around 6:38 p.m. Frdiay, Oct. 30, loss prevention personnel from Macy’s advised that they had detained a woman for theft. The suspect took merchandise into a fitting room and used a razor blade to swap price tags and attached separate items together to avoid paying the full price. A private person’s arrest was made, and a 45-year-old Vietnamese was taken into custody for commercial burglary.
Identity theft / forgery/ fraud * A victim came to the station around 9:07 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, to file a mail theft and forgery report. She indicated that on October 20, she placed 10 envelopes containing bills and checks in her mailbox. On October 26, she was looking at her bank statement and discovered that several checks had been altered with different dollar amounts and payee’s names. * Around 1:29 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, a victim came to the station to file a fraud report. She discovered that unknown suspect(s) had obtained her debit card information by unknown means and made four unauthorized transactions totaling $300.
Drugs & alocohol * Around 11:48 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, a traffic stop was conducted at Huntington and Golden West for an equipment violation and expired registration. A female driver was contacted and a consent search of the vehicle was made. A glass pipe with burnt residue and a baggie containing a white crystalline substance were found. The 50-year-old Hispanic was taken into custody at the scene without incident. * Shortly after 4:00 a.m. Saturday, OCt. 31, units responded to the 1000 block of South Tenth in reference to a solo traffic accident. An intoxicated 23-year-old male Hispanic driver collided with a tree and was taken into custody for DUI.
Click image above for video of ride-along demo of new automated license plate reader system.
Click two images below for two-part video of Police volunteers, including ride-alongs.
Click image above for video tour of police station.
Click image above for video of dedication to Arcadia’s only officer who died in the line of duty.
Murder of Arcadia Sushi Restaurant Owner
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich office held a joint press conference May 28 with Arcadia Police Department detectives to announce the offering of a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of an Arcadia sushi restaurant owner 18 months ago.
The Arcadia City Council decided during their meeting June 2 to add another $20,000 to the reward for a total of $40,000.
A surveillance video shows an armed robber entering through the restaurant’s backdoor just before 9:30 p.m. on November 25, 2007, and confronting three employees.
After that, he robbed the cash register, along with Wei’s wife, who also worked at Osaka Ya. He netted about $200, according to police.
(Click image below to see short video of spontaneous memorial vigil at Osaka Ya immediately after the murder.)
Despite the surveillance video and multiple witnesses to the murder that followed, police have been unable to identify the suspect who later shot and killed 42-year-old Osaka Ya owner Jason Wei in his shop at Vons Pavilion shopping center, 815 W. Naomi Ave.
The restaurant was initially closed and sold when Wei’s wife, son and daughter moved back to China. It has since re-opened under the same Osaka Ya name but under different ownership. Wei’s family has moved back to their home in Arcadia, according to neighbors.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Arcadia Police Department, (626) 574-5160, or leave an anonymous tip at 1-800-78-CRIME. Find further editorial and video coverage of Tuesday’s press conference in the Pasadena Star-News and/or ABC TV.