Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 4, 2017

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Mountain View News Saturday, March 4, 2017 

ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER

PETA SUES ARCADIA OVER CRUEL PLAN TO 
SNARE, SLAUGHTER COYOTES

Group Cites City’s Failure to Perform Environmental Impact Assessment, Is Determined 
to Stop Plans to Harm, Kill Native Wildlife

For the period of Sunday, February 19th, through Saturday, 
February 25th, the Police Department responded to 989 
calls for service of which 132 required formal investigations. 
The following is a summary report of the major incidents 
handled by the Department during this period.

Sunday, February 19:

Shortly before 4:15 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic 
stop on a vehicle in the area of Foothill Boulevard and 
Michillinda Avenue for swerving. Upon contacting 
the driver, the officer detected a strong odor of alcohol 
emitting from the driver. Through a series of tests, the 
officer determined the 33-year-old male from San Gabriel 
was driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. 
A records check revealed the suspect had an outstanding 
misdemeanor warrant. He was arrested and transported to 
the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 
Around 8:21 p.m., an officer responded to 400 South 
Baldwin Avenue regarding a stolen vehicle report. The 
officer discovered unknown suspect(s) stole the victim’s 
locked vehicle sometime between 6:30 p.m. and the time 
of the report. The unoccupied vehicle was later recovered 
by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, but the 
license plates had been stolen. No suspects were seen and 
no witnesses were located.

Monday, February 20:

At about 4:13 a.m., an officer responded to the Santa Anita 
Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding an activation 
of an Arcadia Police Department GPS tracker. Arcadia 
PD detectives had previously deployed decoy bicycles 
with tracking devices to combat the increase in bike thefts 
throughout the city. An investigation revealed a 33-year-old 
male from Pasadena was in possession of the stolen bicycle 
and GPS tracker. The suspect was also in possession of 
one blade of a scissor he claimed he carried for protection, 
numerous burglary tools, meth pipes, and he also had two 
outstanding misdemeanor warrants. He was arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

 At approximately 3:29 p.m., an officer responded to 
a residence in the 600 block of Camino Grove Avenue 
regarding a package theft report. The officer discovered 
an unknown suspect stole the victim’s FedEx envelope 
containing a new credit card. No suspects were seen and 
no witnesses were located. 

Tuesday, February 21:

Around 12:00 a.m., officers responded to a residence in 
the 100 block of West Foothill Boulevard regarding a 
burglary in progress. Officers located a subject in the area 
and an investigation revealed the 39-year-old male from 
Lancaster ransacked an unlocked garage and attempted 
to enter the main residence. The suspect was arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. He also 
had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

 Just before 2:21 a.m., an officer responded to the area of 
1023 South Baldwin Avenue regarding a subject in custody 
for attempting to enter locked vehicles. The suspect was 
witnessed pulling on door handles of vehicles parked in the 
parking lot. The 43-year-old male transient from Arcadia 
was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for 
booking.

Wednesday, February 22:

 Shortly after 5:41 a.m., an officer responded to the 
2000 block of Louise Avenue regarding a vehicle burglary 
report. The officer discovered an unknown suspect broke 
the driver’s window of the vehicle and stole sunglasses, a 
camera, and paperwork. No suspects were seen and no 
witnesses were located.

 At about 8:29 a.m., an officer responded to a residence 
in the 800 block of South Golden West Avenue regarding 
a vandalism report. The victim discovered an unknown 
suspect pried open the complex mail boxes. It is unknown 
if any mail was stolen. No suspects were seen, no witnesses 
were located, and no loss was reported.

Thursday, February 23:

 At approximately 2:39 a.m., an officer responded 
to Goldstein’s Bakery, 412 North Santa Anita Avenue, 
regarding a commercial burglary report. The officer 
determined an unknown suspect used a metal grate to 
break the drive-through window. The investigation is 
ongoing. 

 Around 1:49 p.m., an officer responded to a residence 
in the 300 block of Whispering Pines Drive regarding a 
burglary report. An investigation revealed the unknown 
suspect climbed onto the second story balcony, smashed 
a glass door, ransacked the bedroom, and fled empty-
handed. The investigation is ongoing.

Friday, February 24: 

 At about 4:59 a.m., an officer responded to Chevron Gas 
Station, 11 East Live Oak Avenue, regarding a commercial 
burglary report. The employee reported an unknown 
suspect used a brick to smash the front glass doors and 
rummaged through the cash register. The loss is unknown. 
The investigation is ongoing. 
Just before 6:27 p.m., an officer responded to the Santa 
Anita Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding a battery 
report. The officer discovered an altercation occurred 
between the female suspect and two female victims in the 
parking lot resulting in the suspect punching both victims. 
The 32-year-old female from La Puente was arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

Saturday, February 25:

 Shortly after 9:20 a.m., an officer responded to the 
Arcadia Police Department front counter regarding a 
fraud investigation. The victim stated he accepted a job and 
was asked to deposit a business check into a newly-created 
business account. The person who hired him, known as 
Jessica Baxter, then instructed him to follow up on the 
deposit. The bank informed the victim the check was 
fraudulent and the account had been frozen. The victim 
then believed he had been involved in a scam. The victim 
does not know the identity of the suspect.

 Just after 8:20 p.m., an officer responded to LA Fitness, 
1325 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding the activation 
of an Arcadia Police Department GPS tracker. An 
investigation revealed the suspect was in possession of 
the stolen bicycle as well as methamphetamine, a glass 
pipe, and burglary tools. The 35-year-old male from 
Rosemead was arrested and transported to the Arcadia 
City Jail for booking. 

Arcadia, Calif. — Today, PETA and Arcadia 
resident Sarah Rosenberg filed a lawsuit in Los 
Angeles County Superior Court against Arcadia 
to stop the city’s plan to use cruel neck and leg 
snares to trap and then kill coyotes. In the lawsuit, 
PETA alleges that because the city council voted 
to approve the plan on February 21 without first 
performing an environmental impact assessment, 
which is required under the California 
Environmental Quality Act, its decision is illegal. 

 “Not only did members of the Arcadia City 
Council high-handedly dismiss residents’ appeals 
to leave the coyotes in peace, the mayor’s and city 
staff’s recommendations against their plan, and a 
ton of research indicating that lethal methods of 
wildlife control do not work, they also approved 
the killings without the environmental impact 
assessment that’s required by California law,” says 
PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. “PETA’s 
lawsuit aims to stop the city of Arcadia from 
senselessly, cruelly, and illegally killing coyotes 
and their orphaned pups.”

 As PETA—which has hundreds of members 
and supporters in Arcadia and whose motto 
reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse 
in any way”—has pointed out to the mayor and 
city council in letters and protests, coyotes suffer 
when caught in painful snares, which could also 
indiscriminately harm companion animals and 
nontarget wildlife. The overwhelming majority 
of city council meeting attendees have voiced 
strong objections to the city’s plan to slaughter 
“nature’s dogs,” who are an integral part of 
California’s ecosystem. In addition to eating 
vegetables and fruits, as predators, they help keep 
populations of smaller animals like squirrels and 
rats in check.

 For more information, please visit PETA.org.


MONROVIA POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL 
SOLVE TWO SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL 
BURGLARY CRIMES DURING THE PAST FEW WEEKS!

MONROVIA POLICE BLOTTER

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and 
events. To see a complete listing of crimes reported, go 
to the City of Monrovia website and click on the crime 
mapping link. Sign up to follow us on Twitter for police 
notifications. 

False Evidence of Registration / Ex-Felon in 
Possession of Firearm – Suspects Arrested February 
23 at 5:14 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 200 block 
of E. Lime Avenue stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code 
violation. The vehicle registration was expired, but the 
vehicle displayed current registration stickers. The 
officer obtained permission to search the vehicle and a 
gun was found inside. One of the two occupants in the 
vehicle was an ex-felon. Both occupants were arrested. 
The gun was not registered to either of the subjects and 
had not been reported stolen. 

Grand Theft Auto February 23 at 7:14 p.m., a vehicle 
was reported stolen from the 500 block of E. Lime. 
The vehicle was parked on the street overnight. When 
the owner returned to the vehicle in the morning, 
it was gone. The vehicle is a white Ford Focus. The 
investigation is continuing. 

Injury Traffic Collision February 23 at 10:16 p.m., a 
solo vehicle traffic collision involving injuries occurred 
at Myrtle and Foothill. The driver was heading west 
on Foothill, approaching Myrtle, when he fell asleep at 
the wheel, momentarily. When he awoke, he swerved 
and lost control of the vehicle, colliding into the wall 
of the bank building on the corner. No other vehicles 
were involved and the driver was taken to the hospital 
for treatment of injuries. 

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested 
February 24 at 5:04 a.m., officers responded to the 
intersection of Myrtle and Duarte on the report of a 
vehicle in the roadway with someone slumped over 
the steering wheel. Officers arrived and determined 
the driver was intoxicated. He was arrested for driving 
under the influence. 

Vehicle Code Violation / Warrants – Suspects 
Arrested February 24 at 5:30 p.m., an officer on patrol 
stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation in the 200 
block of E. Duarte Road. Two of the occupants had 
outstanding warrants and were subsequently arrested 
for the warrants. The driver was found to be operating 
the vehicle on a suspended license. The vehicle was 
stored. 

Grand Theft February 25 at 9:22 p.m., a grand theft was 
reported at a business in the 600 block of S. Myrtle. An 
unknown suspect entered the business and took cash 
from a backpack behind the counter. The investigation 
is continuing. 

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested February 26 
at 2:31 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 
100 block of Montana regarding possible domestic 
violence occurring. The reporting party could hear 
a male yelling and a female crying. Officers arrived 
and found the female subject had visible injuries on 
her face. The male subject was arrested for domestic 
violence. 

Theft From a Vehicle February 26 at 10:15 a.m., a theft 
from a vehicle was reported in the 1300 block of S. Alta 
Vista. The victim reported that the license plates were 
stolen off his vehicle, along with items from inside. 
The vehicle was left unlocked. The investigation is 
continuing. 

Vehicle Burglary February 26 at 12:18 p.m., a vehicle 
burglary was reported at a business parking lot in the 
700 block of W. Huntington. The victim parked her 
vehicle in the lot at 7:00 a.m. When she returned to her 
vehicle around noon, the window had been smashed 
and her purse had been stolen from the vehicle. The 
investigation is continuing. 

Drug Activity / Counterfeit Currency / Possession of 
Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested February 26 at 2:46 
p.m., officers went to a residence in the 700 block of W. 
Colorado to conduct a probation compliance search 
of a male juvenile. The search revealed the juvenile 
was in possession of heroin, counterfeit currency and 
burglary tools. He was arrested and later released to 
his family. 

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested February 26 
at 9:07 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a male 
subject that was lying in the road. An officer responded 
to the area and located the subject. The subject was 
extremely intoxicated and refused to provide his 
name. He was arrested for being drunk in public and 
held for a sobering period.

During the past few weeks, our team at the Monrovia 
Police Department were able to solve two significant 
commercial burglaries that we wanted to highlight. 

Party City Robbery Solved! 

 On February 1, 2017, Monrovia police officers 
responded to a burglary alarm at 622 West Huntington 
Drive, at the Party City location. When our police 
personnel arrived on scene, they discovered that the 
front doors had been pried open and that a burglary 
had occurred. Working quickly, our team at the Police 
Department accessed surveillance video from the 
business, which did show the suspects and the type of 
vehicle they were driving.

 Later that morning, our police officers observed the 
vehicle that was seen in the surveillance video driving 
through Monrovia, and we conducted a routine traffic 
stop. The occupants were arrested on suspicion of 
burglary and for possession of burglary tools. As we 
further investigated the situation, our police officers 
learned that the same vehicle had been stopped in 
West Covina just after the Party City burglary had 
occurred. In that situation, West Covina police officers 
arrested the driver of the vehicle, and they recovered a 
loaded handgun from the vehicle. However, the other 
two passengers in the vehicle were released, and it was 
those two individuals that our Monrovia police officers 
arrested.

 All three suspects, including the driver arrested by the 
West Covina Police Department and the two individuals 
that our Monrovia police officers arrested, are suspects in 
the Party City burglary. Detective McClure was assigned 
the case and through a comprehensive investigation, 
it was discovered that the suspects were responsible for 
multiple crimes, including a burglary that occurred in 
West Covina, along with a prior burglary in Monrovia. 
We also discovered that these suspects are known gang 
members who operate out of Long Beach, and it is 
possible that the crew was responsible for other crimes in 
our area.

 Thanks to the great work by our police officers and a 
tenacious investigation by our detectives, we have been 
able to file felony charges against all three suspects. Our 
team is continuing to investigate the situation, and we are 
finding more evidence to help in the prosecution! 

Commercial Burglary Pursuit & Arrest 

On Monday, February 13, 2017, Monrovia police officers 
responded to an alarm call at Smash Burger restaurant, 
at 602 West Huntington Drive. Police Officer David 
Andrew was the first to arrive on scene and as he entered 
the parking lot, he observed a silver Toyota Camry with 
paper plates attempting to flee the location at a high rate 
of speed.

The vehicle drove east through the parking lot, and 
Police Officer Andrew advised that he had a failure to 
yield and that he was in pursuit. The vehicle exited the 
parking lot and drove east on Huntington Drive before 
turning left north Mayflower Avenue. The vehicle then 
turned right onto Chestnut Avenue. With Police Officer 
Andrew in pursuit, the suspects ran from their vehicle at 
435 Chestnut Avenue.

 Two suspects jumped the fence at 435 West Chestnut 
Avenue and a third suspect jumped the fence into 438 
West Chestnut Avenue. A containment was established 
and police officers from surrounding agencies, including 
police canine units, assisted in the search for the suspects. 
Two of the suspects were found and arrested during the 
search.

 Further investigation revealed that our Smash Burger 
restaurant was broken into and that Menchie’s Yogurt 
was also robbed. The vehicle used by the suspects was 
also a stolen car from the City of Colton. Detective 
Schneider took the lead role on this case. He worked 
with our patrol officers to obtain video surveillance from 
the scene and nearby businesses. The video showed the 
suspects committing the crime and the clothing worn 
during the event. During a secondary search later in the 
day, we discovered discarded clothing that the suspects 
were seen wearing in the video. In addition, the vehicle 
used by the suspects was searched and evidence from the 
burglaries was located in the vehicle. 

 The case was presented to the District Attorney’s 
Office and two felony counts of commercial burglary 
were filed on the suspects. Detective Schneider also 
contacted other agencies in the San Gabriel Valley 
and discovered that similar cases occurred in several 
other local communities. Detective Schneider will 
be following up with those cities as the investigation 
continues.

 Once again, the quick response of our officers resulted 
in the capture of these burglars. We are thankful for 
the assistance of our neighboring cities’ officers who 
responded to assist with the search for these suspects, 
and the great work by our detectives resulted in 
additional evidence being found to potentially assist in 
solving other burglaries that the suspects committed in 
neighboring communities! 

STATE OF THE CITY, SCHOOL DISTRICT TALKS 
MARCH 21 AT DUARTE COMMUNITY CENTER 

REWARD OFFERED FOR SUSPECT IN MURDER OF 
DUARTE FATHER

DUARTE, CA, March 1, 2017 – Duarte Mayor 
Margaret Finlay and Unified School District 
President Reyna Diaz will update the community 
at the annual State of the City and School District, 
a Duarte Chamber-sponsored reception at the City 
of Duarte Community Center and Courtyard on 
Tuesday, March 21, beginning at 5:30 p.m. 

 “Dutopia: Where Anything is Possible” is the 
theme for this year’s event; a play on the hit Walt 
Disney Picture “Zootopia.” The event begins with 
the Mayor’s address followed by the School District 
President. Presentations will focus on the successes 
and future opportunities that lie ahead for both the 
City of Duarte and the Unified School District in 
the coming year with food and beverages provided 
by local Duarte restaurants immediately following. 
Tickets are $10. Reservations can be made by calling 
the Duarte Chamber of Commerce at (626) 357-3333 
or buy them on-line at duartechamber.com under 
the Events section on the homepage. 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The Board of Supervisors 
unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn 
Barger establishing a $10,0000 reward for information 
leading to the arrest and/or conviction of a suspect 
or suspects responsible for the murder of Kirinda 
Morehead, a 39-year-old husband and father of two, who 
was shot to death on Bashor Street in the City of Duarte 
on February 18, 2017, at approximately 8:18 p.m. A white 
BMW with tinted windows was seen driving away west 
on Bashor and then north on Mount Olive Drive.

 The Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau is seeking assistance 
from the public with information that may aid in their 
investigation of this heinous crime. Supervisor Barger 
encourages anyone with information to contact Sheriff’s 
Detective Philip Guzman at (323) 890-5500 or Sergeant 
Eric Arias at (323) 890-5500.

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