The Arcadia Police Department responded to 826 calls for service from Sunday, June 27, through Saturday, July 3, 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 7/3) Calls for Service: 23,941 (2009 total: 50,371; 2008 Total: 49,699) Formal Investigations: 3,564 (2009 total: 7,092; 2008 total: 6,705)
Choked, punched, then jumped from moving car Between 12:15 a.m. and 12:50 a.m. Monday, June 28, the victim got a ride from her friend, a male black, 26 years of age. During the ride, the two argued and once they arrived at the suspect’s house, the suspect proceeded to choke the victim. They then left the house together and while inside the vehicle, the suspect punched the victim in the face approximately 10 times. Fearing for her life, the victim jumped out of the moving vehicle near the intersection of Santa Anita Avenue and Foothill Boulevard and ran to an Arco Gas Station for help. The suspect fled the area.
Gunpoint purse robbery Between 12:30 a.m. and 12:36 a.m. Saturday, July 3, the suspect, male black, 28 years of age, approached the victim as she left Garden Café, 850 South Baldwin Avenue. The suspect robbed her of her purse and other property at gunpoint. The suspect fled the scene and an area check led officers to locating the vehicle and subsequently detaining the suspect in the parking lot of Chase Bank at 60 East Huntington Drive. He was arrested for robbery.
Cell phone video of woman changing clothes At approximately 3 p.m. Friday, July 2, in the 1700 block of Alta Oaks, a male white, 21 years of age, used his cell phone to make a video recording of his friend, the victim, while she was changing, in violation of disorderly conduct. The phone was taken into evidence.
Business theft/burglary – gun-toting thieves smash jewel cases with hammer * Sometime between 4 p.m. June 28 and 8 a.m. June 29 unknown suspect(s) cut the pad lock from the victim’s storage unit in the 900 block of West Duarte Road. A suitcase and a stroller were stolen. * At approximately 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, unknown suspect(s), two male blacks in their 20’s, entered Ben Bridge Jewelers at 400 South Baldwin Avenue and demanded the keys to the jewelry cases by displaying a handgun. The suspects then used a hammer to open several cases and stole approximately $35,000.00 worth of diamond rings and fled the location to a third suspect who was waiting for them in a getaway vehicle. * At approximately 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 30, a J.C. Penney employee, at 400 South Baldwin Avenue, was arrested for commercial burglary after an internal investigation revealed the employee had been stealing clothing then returning the items for refunds between May 9, 2010 and May 16, 2010. Suspect is a Chinese female, 59 years of age, who was placed under private person’s arrest. * Between 6:30 p.m. and 6:44 p.m. Friday, July 2, a female black, 19 years of age, entered Hollister, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, with the intent to steal perfumes. When she was confronted by loss prevention, she fled from the store. She was detained by loss prevention and a private person’s arrest was made for burglary.
Arson brush fire Between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., officers responded to a report of a brush fire north of Bonita Skate Park, 100 S. Second Avenue. The investigation by an Arcadia Fire Department Arson Investigator revealed the fire was intentionally set.
Residential burglary/theft * At approximately 12:15 p.m. Monday, June 28, in the 600 block of Encino Court, unknown suspect(s) entered an open garage and took two men’s mountain bikes, valued at $800. An area check for suspects was met with negative results. The bikes were later found discarded at the Peck Road Water Conservation Park * Sometime between 4 p.m. June 29 and 1 p.m. June 30, workers removed the tent covering a home in the 1000 block of Diablo Drive, which had been fumigated. They discovered an open window and ransacked master bedroom. Toxic chemicals were still present and officers were unable to access the interior.
Auto theft Between 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 27, unknown suspect(s) entered an unlocked vehicle parked at CVS Pharmacy, 1401 S. Baldwin Avenue, and stole a wallet containing cash and credit/debit cards from inside a purse.
Forgery/identity theft Sometime between March 22 and midnight on June 23, the ex-boyfriend, a male white, 29 years of age, of the victim used the victim’s debit card account information to make unauthorized purchases totaling $1,220.83, in violation of fraudulent use of access card.
Purse snatching at bus stop At 8:45 p.m. Thursday, July 1, two suspects, a male Hispanic, 16-17 years of age, and a male black, 16-17 years of age, stole the victim’s purse while she was sitting at the bus stop adjacent to the south curb line of Huntington Drive east of First Avenue. Her purse was recovered; however, her money, miscellaneous credit cards and Identification Card were still missing.
Vandalism Sometime between 4:45 p.m. June 30 and 7:15 a.m. Thursday, July 1, unknown suspect(s) cut the soccer nets and removed them from 2 goal posts. The suspect(s) took the nets to the basketball courts and set them on fire using a spray lubricant as an accelerant.
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.