Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Mountain View News Saturday, December 17, 2016 

ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER

ARCADIA: FOUR TRAFFIC FATALITES IN TWO DAYS

 On December 13, 2016 at about 1:50 a.m., officers 
from the Arcadia Police Department responded 
to a traffic collision at the intersection of Live Oak 
Avenue and Las Tunas Drive. Upon arriving at the 
scene, officers discovered an overturned vehicle 
with several occupants inside.

 Arcadia Fire Department personnel extricated 
one occupant who was transported to a local 
hospital with significant injuries. The remaining 
three occupants were pronounced deceased at the 
scene.

 This is an ongoing investigation and the names of 
the involved persons are not being released pending 
notification of the next of kin.

 The investigation is being handled by the Arcadia 
Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation 
Team. Preliminary investigation revealed that a 
vehicle traveling west on Live Oak Avenue near Las 
Tunas Drive may have lost control, collided with a 
wall causing the vehicle to overturn.

 On December 14, 2016 at about 9:45 p.m., Arcadia 
Police Officers responded to an injury hit and 
run traffic collision at the intersection of Baldwin 
Avenue and Arcadia Avenue. A female pedestrian 
was crossing the street and was struck by a vehicle 
travelling north bound on Baldwin Avenue. The 
driver of the vehicle fled the scene. Several witnesses 
provided a vehicle description and license plate 
number.

 Officers responded to the registered owner’s 
address and located the vehicle and the driver. 
As a result of their investigation, the driver was 
arrested for felony hit and run and felony driving 
under the influence. During the course of this 
investigation, the female pedestrian succumbed 
to her injuries at a local hospital. The victim is a 
77 year old female resident of Arcadia. The driver 
was subsequently charged with gross vehicular 
manslaughter.

 The driver was identified as Alex Danilo Cerna, 
51 years old, a resident of Pasadena, CA. 

 This investigation is being handled by the Arcadia 
Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation 
Team (M.A.I.T.) APD Case #16-6569. 

 Anyone with information on this incident 
is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police 
Department at (626) 574-5151. If you wish to remain 
Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 
800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by 
downloading the “P3 MOBILE APP” on Google 
play or the App Store, or by using the website http://
lacrimestoppers.org. 

For the period of Sunday, December 4th, through 
Saturday, December 10th, the Police Department 
responded to 1,013 calls for service of which 136 required 
formal investigations. The following is a summary report 
of the major incidents handled by the Department 
during this period.

Sunday, December 4:

Shortly before 3:15 a.m., an officer responded to REI, 
214 North Santa Anita Avenue, regarding a burglary 
alarm activation. Surveillance footage revealed two 
suspects smashed the front glass door, broke open 
a display case containing cameras, and fled with an 
undetermined amount of property. The investigation 
is ongoing.

 Both suspects were wearing hooded sweatshirts, 
pants, and masks covering their faces.

 At approximately 6:22 a.m., an officer responded to 
the 1100 block of Lyndon Way regarding an activation 
of an Arcadia Police Department GPS tracker. Arcadia 
PD detectives had previously deployed decoy packages 
containing bait property and tracking devices to 
combat the increase in package thefts from residential 
areas. An investigation revealed a 40-year-old male 
from San Gabriel and a 21-year-old female from 
Temple City were in possession of the stolen package, 
property, tracking device, identity theft equipment and 
controlled substances. The suspects were arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

 Around 6:31a.m., an officer responded to the 900 
block of Palo Alto Drive regarding a single-vehicle 
traffic collision. An investigation revealed the female 
driver, a missing person out of Pasadena, stated she 
struck a mailbox and light pole in an effort to avoid 
hitting peacocks in the roadway. The officer also 
discovered the 31-year-old female from Pasadena was 
suicidal and was transported to Kaiser Hospital for 
treatment. 

Monday, December 5:

Just after 2:48 p.m., an officer responded to the 100 
block of California Street regarding a suspicious duffle 
bag. The officer located the bag along with medical 
equipment. An investigation revealed unknown 
suspects broke into an ambulance parked in the 500 
block of South First Avenue and stole the bag which had 
contained the medical equipment. 

 At about 4:04 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic 
stop on a vehicle in the area of California Street and 
Third Avenue for failing to stop at a stop sign. Upon 
contacting the driver, the driver informed the officer 
he had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. During 
a consensual search of the vehicle, the officer located 
drug paraphernalia, narcotics, and other stolen 
property. The driver, a 30-year-old male from Arcadia 
and his passenger, a 33-year-old male from Monrovia 
were arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail 
for booking. The investigation is ongoing.

 Shortly before 4:04 p.m., an officer responded 
to a residence in the 100 block of El Dorado Street 
regarding a burglary report. The victim of the burglary 
tracked her phone to Carl’s Jr, 165 East Duarte Road, 
where officers located two suspects in possession of the 
victim’s stolen property. The officer also discovered the 
suspects used the victim’s credit card at a nearby bank. 
A 25-year-old male from Monrovia and a 31-year-old 
male from Arcadia were arrested and transported to 
the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

 These suspects were found to be responsible for the 
aforementioned vehicle burglary of the ambulance on 
California Street.

Wednesday, December 7:

Around 7:54 a.m., an officer responded to a residence 
in the 1200 block of South Second Avenue regarding 
a burglary report. Surveillance footage revealed 
three masked suspects forced entry into the victim’s 
residence, ransacked the home, and fled with an 
unknown amount of property. The investigation is 
ongoing. 

 Just before 11:01 a.m., officers responded to the 1700 
block of Highland Oaks Drive regarding two suspects 
seen stealing packages. A witness reported seeing a 
Hispanic male suspect steal a neighbor’s package and 
return to a grey Nissan Altima. There was a female 
passenger in the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing. 

 Shortly after 7:55 p.m., an officer responded to a 
traffic collision near the intersection of Sixth Avenue 
and Hempstead Avenue. Through a series of tests, the 
officer determined the 57-year-old male from Temple 
City was driving under the influence of an alcoholic 
beverage. The suspect was arrested and transported to 
the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

Thursday, December 8:

At approximately 10:22 a.m., an officer responded to 
the 1700 block of Highland Oaks Drive regarding a 
GPS tracking device activation. Officers located the 
suspects and discovered they were in possession of the 
stolen package, its contents, the tracking device, as well 
as stolen mail, credit cards, burglary tools, and a stolen 
vehicle. The 45-year-old male driver from Covina, a 
35-year-old female from El Monte, and a 41-year-old 
male from Basset, CA were arrested and transported 
to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. The female suspect 
also had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. 

Friday, December 9: 

At about 3:58 p.m., an officer responded to the area of 
400 South Baldwin Avenue regarding the activation 
of a GPS tracker. The officer located the suspect and 
discovered the 50-year-old male from Whittier had 
an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. The suspect 
was also in possession of a smoking pipe. He was 
arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for 
booking.

 Just before 10:38 p.m., an officer responded to a 
residence in the 1100 block of South Eighth Avenue, 
regarding a burglary report. The officer determined an 
unidentified suspect entered the residence by unknown 
means, stole items from the living room and fled 
undetected. The victim believes the suspect may have 
entered by using a hidden key placed under the door 
mat. The investigation is ongoing.

THE CITY OF ARCADIA RECREATION AND 
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

WINTER 2016/17 REGISTRATION!

Pick up the latest copy of “The Peacock Buzz” to 
find out what is going on in the City of Arcadia! 
Copies are will be available at the City of Arcadia 
Recreation Office, Library and City Hall. For 
specific class information or registration forms go 
to the City’s website at www.arcadiaca.gov under 
Recreation and Community Services Department. 
Registration for classes and activities has begun for 
walk-in, mail-in, on-line or fax-in. Try something 
new this winter or sign up for your old favorites. 
If you don’t already have an account, go on-line 
and create your own. For questions on how to sign 
up on-line please call 626.574.5113 or come to the 
Recreation Office, 375 Campus Drive. Courses are 
offered at the Community Center, 365 Campus 
Drive, the Museum Education Center, 382 W. 
Huntington Drive AND the gymnasium located 
at Dana Middle School, 1401 S. First Avenue. For 
specifics on class dates, times and locations, please 
contact the Recreation and Community Services 
Department at 626.574.5113 or log onto the City of 
Arcadia Website at www.arcadiaca.gov.

About the City of Arcadia

Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel 
Mountains, Arcadia is an 11.38 square mile 
community with a population of just over 56,000. 
Located approximately 20 miles east of downtown 
Los Angeles, Arcadia is known for combining small-
town charm with the conveniences and amenities 
of a mid-size city. Arcadia is a full-service charter 
city governed by a five-member City Council, 
elected at large. Recognized for exceptional 
education and recreation opportunities and 
beautiful neighborhoods, Arcadia is also defined 
as the “Community of Homes” and has twice been 
designated the “Best City in California in which to 
Raise Kids” by Business Week Magazine.


POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC SAFETY EVENT ATTRACTS 20 PEOPLE, 
CRIME RATES UP 25% YEAR OVER YEAR


Last Thursday, the Monrovia Police Department held an event to 
highlight public safety tips for the holiday season. The event was 
well attended, with 20 members of the community participating 
in the seminar. At the event, Police Department staff shared that 
crime rates in Monrovia are up 25% in 2016, when compared 
against 2015 crime levels. Of particular note, crime rates are up 
in every community in our region and law enforcement personnel 
have attributed the situation primarily to a series of State legislative 
directives, including AB 109, Proposition 47, and Proposition 57. 
Each of those measures has served to weaken the ability of courts to 
deter crime, shorten prison sentences for criminals, and allow for the 
early release incarcerated individuals.

 Given these new laws, if current crime trends continue through 
the end of the year, it is projected that Monrovia will see a 25% 
increase in total crime. Looking a bit deeper at the numbers, that 
25% increase in total crime constitutes an increase from 750 total 
violent / property crime incidents in 2015, to 937 total violent / 
property crime incidents in 2016.

 In our relatively recent history, Monrovia saw our greatest number 
crime activities occur in 1995, when we had 1,672 total incidents of 
violent and property crime. Through the years, the City engaged a 
number of important initiatives to reduce criminal activity, including 
implementation of a gang injunction and expansion of our overall 
Community Activist Policing bureau programs. 

 Those efforts and initiatives made an impact, as we saw crime 
trends decrease over time. The chart below illustrates how the crime 
trends have evolved, and of note, in 2015, we had our lowest recorded 
rate of criminal activity, when we had only 750 incidents of violent 
and property crime.

 However, this past year, we have seen the very significant impact 
that new State legislation has had on crime rates here locally. In 
particular, AB 109, Proposition 47, and Proposition 57 will collectively 
have impacted our law enforcement efforts in the following manner: 

Early release from prison of tens of thousands of criminals from 
throughout California, the majority of whom are from LA County

Changes in law that have made any shoplifting, theft, forgery, or fraud 
where the value of the crime does not exceed $950 a misdemeanor

The personal use of illegal drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, or 
methamphetamine, have been reclassified in California as 
misdemeanors

 Given these changes in State law and the associated impacts on 
crime here locally in Monrovia, staff has been assessing different 
strategies through which we can address this challenging situation. 
As these strategies are developed, we would continue to urge that all 
residents stay vigilant and take steps, especially during this holiday 
season! 


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