Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 22, 2010

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com

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Public Safety & Health

Mountain Views News Saturday, May 22, 2010

Sierra Madre Police Blotter

From The Desk of Fire Marshal Rich Snyder

SURVIVING A WILDFIRE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT 

Year after year, Sierra Madre is faced with the potential for disaster. As we get closer to brush fire 
season with its high temperatures and low humidity the once green vegetation that surrounds our 
City starts to turn brown as the moisture is pulled from it by the Santa Ana winds that blow in off 
the deserts. The thick, volatile chaparral that blankets our hillsides are like bombs waiting for their 
fuses to be lit. We have all heard the term “firestorm” used to describe the incredible temperatures 
and tremendous winds that are generated in a raging chaparral fire. Hardly any house can withstand 
direct exposure to such a storm. Wildland fires usually pass by fast and furiously. Typically, they’re 
controllable only when the wind dies out or they run out of fuel. If you reduce the amount of 
combustible brush around your house, you have taken the first step to preventing disaster. 

The success over the 2008 Santa Anita fire was no accident. The Fire Department put up a good 
fight; however, we could not have done it without the help of the homeowners who gave us a “fighting 
chance” by maintaining proper brush clearance around their homes.

Each year, The Sierra Madre Fire Department works with the residents in the foothills to help 
provide that “fighting chance” that is desperately needed to prevent a disastrous fire. This is done 
through an aggressive brush management program and by educating the residents on what to do 
before, during and after a brush fire.

Here is a list of the brush clearance requirements that you can use to protect your home:

· Maintain the first 30 feet around any structure free of native brush and hazardous vegetation.

· Aggressively thin and trim the vegetation 30 to 100 feet around any structure.

· Remove dead branches from trees and keep all braches 6 feet off the ground. 

· Clear vegetation 10 feet from roadways.

· Remove tree limbs that are within 10 feet of a chimney outlet.

· Maintain 5 feet of vertical clearance between your roof and overhanging vegetation.

· Keep all roof surfaces clear of dead leaves and twigs.

· Post your street number on your house so it is visible from the street. 

Contact the Sierra Madre FireSafe Council at 355-0741 for information on how to get financial 
assistance with hazardous brush removal.

 

In Sierra Madre, we have a conscientious community of educated, resourceful and dedicated citizens 
concerned about fire prevention. The need for fire prevention needs to be known. You can help us 
combat urban wildfire in your neighborhood, but you must start around your own home.

Working together, we can accomplish a common goal; abatement of hazardous vegetation. If you 
have any questions, or would like additional information, please contact the Sierra Madre Fire 
Prevention Bureau at 355-3611 extension 3.

During the week of Sunday, May 9th, to Saturday May 15th, the Sierra Madre Police Department 
responded to approximately 233 calls for service.

Saturday, May 15th:

9:09 AM- Petty Theft, 200 block East Alegria Ave. A resident reported a four foot tall Asian statue 
was stolen from her backyard. The crime occurred between 8:00 p.m., Friday, May 14, 2010 and 9:00 
a.m., Saturday, May 15, 2010. The statue was valued at $300.00.

1:54 PM – Theft from an Unlocked Vehicle, 611 East Sierra Madre Blvd. A wallet was stolen from 
an unlocked car parked at Sierra Vista Park. The crime occurred between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., 
Saturday, 5/15/2010. The wallet was valued at $40.00. Pasadena police officers found the wallet and its 
contents strewn across the westbound lanes of Sierra Madre Blvd. west of Michillinda Ave. 

Arcadia Police Blotter

For the period of Sunday, May 9, through Saturday, May 15, the Police Department responded to 978 calls 
for service of which 134 required formal investigations. The following is a summary report of the major 
incidents handled by the Department during this period.

Sunday, May 9:

1. Units responded to 214 North Santa Anita around 6:14 a.m. in reference to a robbery that just 
occurred. Two male Hispanic suspects, in their 20’s, approached three male victims in the REI parking 
lot. The victims were punched by one suspect and the second suspect brandished a knife and demanded 
money. The suspects took cash and a wallet and fled on foot. An area check was conducted and the 
suspects were later apprehended and taken into custody.

2. Around 6:28 p.m., officers were called to the 800 block of West Huntington regarding a 
disturbance. Investigation revealed that during an argument with an ex-boyfriend, the victim was 
threatened with a knife. The 27-year-old Caucasian suspect then stole the victim’s cell phone and fled the 
residence. An area search was conducted, but the suspect was not located.

Monday, May 10:

3. A robbery occurred at the 7-Eleven store located at 1003 South Baldwin around 2:50 a.m. A male 
African-American, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, threatened the store clerk by showing him a gun 
tucked in the waistband. The suspect took cash from the register and fled the scene.

4. Shortly before 5:00 p.m., a traffic stop was conducted in the 300 block of West Huntington for 
an equipment violation. Four occupants were contacted and record checks indicated that a 29-year-old 
female Hispanic passenger had 3 outstanding warrants totaling almost $50,000. A search of her purse 
incident to arrest revealed a baggie of leafy substance resembling marijuana. She was taken into custody 
without incident.

Tuesday, May 11:

5. An auto burglary occurred in the 300 block of West Huntington between 7:15 a.m. and 7:29 
a.m. Unknown suspect(s) entered the unlocked vehicle and stole a laptop computer and GPS unit for a 
reported loss of $1,550.

6. Around 9:00 a.m., a residential burglary occurred in the 1600 block of South Tenth. A neighbor 
observed a male Hispanic suspect, in his 20’s, leave the scene on foot. Investigation revealed that the front 
door was forced open, rooms ransacked, and expensive jewelry and watches were stolen.

Wednesday, May 12:

7. Three DUI arrests were made on this date. A 31-year-old female Hispanic driver was 
taken into custody around 1:27 a.m. at Huntington and Holly; a 61-year-old female Caucasian driver was 
arrested about 2:28 a.m. at Colorado and Santa Maria; a 55-year-old male Hispanic was arrested around 
9:25 p.m. at Highland and Foothill.

8. Between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., a residential burglary occurred in the 1700 block of South 
Third. Unknown suspect(s) broke a front door window to gain access into the house. The suspect(s) then 
stole Rolex watches, gaming station, digital camera, and cash.

Thursday, May 13:

9. An enforcement stop was conducted on a bicyclist riding on the public sidewalk in the 00 
block of East Foothill at 7:51 a.m. The 19-year-old male Hispanic was arrested for a $35,000 outstanding 
warrant and possession of marijuana.

10. Around 1:36 p.m., units responded to StorAmerica, 5630 Peck, regarding a commercial 
burglary that took place between April 5 and April 24. Unknown suspect(s) cut the padlock from the 
victim’s storage unit and stole a variety of jewelry and pocket knives for a reported loss of $3,000.

Friday, May 14:

11. A residential burglary occurred around noon in the 600 block of Arbolada. An Anokia Estates 
security guard heard an audible alarm and later saw a male African-American, 30’s, 5’9”, 180 pounds, 
jump from a backyard and fled onto Baldwin. A side door to the home was forced open and some 
closet doors and drawers were found open. The suspect was not located during an area search, and it is 
unknown at this time if any property was taken.

12. Around 9:41 p.m., dispatch received a call regarding several subjects possibly removing 
parts from a stolen Honda vehicle. Units responded to the 11600 block of Clark and found the front 
seats, speakers, and radio were missing from the vehicle. Officers later discovered the stolen front 
electric seats near a camper, and a 40-year-old male Caucasian was contacted. He indicated that he 
lived in the camper at the location but did not know how the seats got there. The stolen speakers and 
radio were found inside the camper, along with glass-smoking pipes and multiple baggies of a white 
crystalline substance resembling methamphetamine. The man was taken into custody for receiving 
stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, and outstanding 
misdemeanor warrants.

Saturday, May 15:

13. Units responded to the County Park around 11:17 a.m. in reference to suspicious persons by a 
stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, officers observed two men in the stolen vehicle and a high risk traffic stop 
was made at Huntington and Santa Anita. A 43-year-old Hispanic was arrested for vehicle theft and for 
a $5000 outstanding warrant; a 48-year-old Hispanic was arrested for vehicle theft, false identification 
to peace officer, and a no bail warrant from the U.S. Marshals Service.

14. Loss prevention personnel from Macy’s advised that they had detained a woman for theft around 
9:50 p.m. The suspect selected clothing items and a frying pan, hid them in a shopping bag, and left the 
store without making payment. A private person’s arrest was made, and a 49-year-old Vietnamese was 
taken into custody for grand theft.

Rep. Schiff to Testify Before 
the Senate Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Interior

Will Call for Forest Service to Consider 
Repeal of Prohibition on Night Time 
Flights

Washington, DC – Earlier this week, Rep. Adam 
Schiff (D-CA) announced that he will testify 
before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee 
on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, 
and will call for a reconsideration and possible 
repeal of Forest Service policies prohibiting 
night time flights. The hearing will take place at 
9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, in Room 
SD-124, Senate Dirksen Office Bldg.

“The Forest Service stopped flying fire fighting 
helicopters at night after a tragic collision in 
the 1970s,” Rep. Schiff said. “I hope this hearing 
will shed light on the need to reexamine this 
long-standing policy, which has been overtaken 
by new capabilities. As advances are made in 
aviation technology, we need to ensure that the 
Forest Service's policies keep pace, so we can 
guarantee Southern Californians the safest, 
most effective response whenever a fire breaks 
out.”

In March, Rep. Schiff proposed that the House 
Appropriations Committee include a provision 
in its 2011 funding bill directing the Forest 
Service to conduct a formal study on whether 
to acquire night-flying capability, as pioneered 
by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 
Rep. Schiff called for the study to be completed 
within 90 days of the funding bill's enactment.

In December, he asked for a Congressional 
inquiry into the night-flying prohibition, as well 
as the Forest Service's response to the Station fire 
that broke out in August, killing two fire fighters 
and devastating 250 square miles of the Angeles 
National Forest. 

"I want to thank and applaud Senator Feinstein 
for holding this important hearing to examine 
the Forest Service's fire policy,” Rep. Schiff said. 
“She has brought extraordinary leadership and 
focus to fire safety issues for years."

Rep. Schiff also plans to convene a panel of Los 
Angeles-area Members of Congress to hear 
testimony from experts and local fire officials. 
The panel will discuss issues that have been 
raised about decision-making during the early 
hours of the Station Fire. 


Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 523 service events, resulting in 106 
investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

Residential Burglary

On May 6 at 3:38 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 700 block of West Chestnut on the 
report of a burglary. The reporting party stated that his government-issued laptop and identification 
were stolen from his residence while he was upstairs in the shower. The suspect entered the house 
through a window. Investigation continuing.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 8 at 2:27 a.m., an officer was driving east on Duarte Road and noticed a vehicle in front of 
him swerving on the roadway. He stopped the driver, who appeared to be under the influence. The 
driver was so intoxicated she could not remember where she was. The driver was arrested and taken 
into custody.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 8 at 2:26 a.m., an officer was driving east on Duarte Road and noticed a vehicle on the 
roadway with no headlights during darkness. A traffic stop was conducted. The driver was 
determined to be driving while under the influence. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Commercial Burglary

On May 8 at 4:15 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 400 block of West Foothill regarding a 
burglary in progress. A witness heard glass breaking and noticed a male subject inside a business. The 
witness called police, but the suspect had fled prior to officers arriving. During the investigation, the 
officers determined the suspect had picked up the cover of a water meter and broke the glass front 
door to the business. The suspect checked the register, which was empty, and fled. The investigation 
is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary

On May 8 at 9:27 a.m., an officer responded to a business in the 400 block of West Foothill. A 
suspect used a piece of concrete to smash the front window of the business and make entry. The 
suspect rummaged through the counter area. It is unknown if any property was taken. Investigation 
continuing. 

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 9 at 2:03 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle fail to stop for a flashing red at Ivy and Foothill 
and stopped the driver. During the investigation, it was determined the driver was under the 
influence and was arrested. 

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision - 

Suspect Arrested

On May 9 at 3 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Pomona regarding a traffic 
collision. During the investigation, the driver was determined to be under the influence of alcohol 
and prescription medication. The driver was arrested.

Assault

On May 10 at 10:45 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a hospital where he contacted the victim of an 
assault. The male subject had a broken nose as a result of a fight which he said occurred in Monrovia. 
The subject told him he had been at a party in Monrovia on Almond on Saturday night. He said he 
got into a mutual fight with another subject. On Monday, he went to the hospital because he was 
having difficulty breathing. The subject was uncooperative and stated he did not want anything 
done. He refused to make a report and would not sign a refusal to prosecute.

Gang Injunction / Warrant Arrests

On May 11 at 3:03 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 300 block of West Huntington. Three 
male subjects in a white Nissan were reportedly drinking and urinating in the parking lot. When 
officers arrived, one of the subjects was recognized as a gang member who has been served with the 
gang injunction. Another subject, a gang member who had not been served with the injunction, was 
arrested for a warrant. The third subject, who is an adult now, had a juvenile, no-bail warrant. All 
three subjects were arrested and taken into custody.