Police Blotter: Teens' Arson Attempt Foiled

For the period of June 3-9, the responded to 1,011 calls for service, 119 of which required formal investigations. The following is a summary report of the major incidents handled by the Department during this period.

Attempted Arson

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on June 3, an officer responded to regarding a suspicious circumstances report. The officer located two juveniles, one of whom was carrying a glass bottle filled with gasoline. Investigators determined the juveniles had planned to commit arson. The 14-year-old and 15-year-old boys were arrested, transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking and later released to their parents.

Shoplifting

Around 9:36 p.m. on June 3, an officer responded to at the , 400 South Baldwin Avenue regarding a theft report. A woman  allegedly concealed various merchandise inside her purse and exited the store without paying. An investigation revealed she also had stolen merchandise from . The 37-year-old suspect was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

Hit and Run

At about 4:14 a.m. on June 4, officers were dispatched to at 625 West Las Tunas Drive regarding a hit and run that involved a drunk pedestrian. The victim told police he had gotten run over by the rear wheels of a tractor trailer.  However, store video surveillance showed he intentionally threw himself under the truck. The 20-year-old man was arrested for Public Intoxication and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking after he received medical clearance.

Burglary

Shortly after 8:25 a.m. on June 4, officers responded to Yuexin Global Logistics at 800 West Duarte Road regarding a burglary report. Unknown suspect(s) forced entry through a locked deadbolt and fled with two laptop computers, a computer server and other valuables. No one heard or saw anything suspicious.

Trailer Fire:

Around 5:07 a.m. on June 5, an officer observed a large amount of smoke coming from the southeast corner of Santa Anita Avenue and Duarte Road. As he came across an alley way, he . The responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. No evidence of arson was found.

Battery

At approximately 6 p.m., officers were dispatched to regarding a battery that took place at the at 125 North First Street. The victim explained that a player had become too aggressive during a basketball game and threw a ball at the victim's face. A physical fight ensued, the other player bit the victim twice in the back. The suspect is described as a black man, 5-foot-9, 180 to 200 pounds with an athletic build and tattoos on his arms.
   
Traffic Collision

At 8:10 a.m. on June 6, an officer was dispatched to a two-party traffic collision on Huntington Drive, west of Morlan Place. An investigation revealed party-one failed to stop for slowing traffic and struck the vehicle in front of her. No injuries were reported.

Marijuana and Alcohol Found During Traffic Stop

At 10:06 p.m. on June 6, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a Toyota in the area of Highland Oaks Avenue and Sycamore Avenue for a warrant attached to the license plate. Upon contact with the driver, the officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle. A vehicle search revealed the 18-year-old man was in possession of marijuana and alcoholic beverages. He was cited and released in the field.

Theft from Vehicle

Shortly after 9:20 a.m. on June 7, an officer responded to the 100 block of Alice Street regarding a theft from a vehicle report. The victim left her purse on the front passenger seat while she walked her son to school. When she returned, she discovered someone had smashed her front driver side window and stolen her Louis Vuitton purse. No one saw or heard anything suspicious.

Shoplifting at Mall

At about 2:58 p.m. on June 7, an officer was dispatched to H&M at the Santa Anita Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, in reference to a theft report. A female suspect concealed several items inside a used shopping bag and exited the store without making payment. An investigation revealed she also stole from Zumies and . The 15-year-old was arrested, transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking, and later released to her mother.

Mailbox Vandalism

Shortly after midnight on June 8, officers located a damaged mailbox in the 500 block of West Longden Avenue. Further inspection revealed six other houses in the area had the same type of damage. None of the residents knew their mailboxes had been vandalized and they did not see anyone suspicious in the area. 

Armed Robbery

Around 11:58 p.m. on June 8 an officer arrived at the area of Huntington Drive and Second Avenue regarding a robbery that had just occurred. While the victim was riding his bike home from work, three man forced him into the rear of a building. The suspects allegedly brandished a pistol, demanded money, and assaulted the victim. They fled the scene with approximately $200. The victim recognized one suspect and can identify him if seen again.

Suspended License

Shortly after 3:45 p.m. on June 9, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a silver Acura TL for a warrant attached to the license plate, in the area of Santa Anita Avenue and Camino Real Avenue. An investigation revealed the driver had a suspended license. The 47-year-old woman was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

Missing Juvenile Found

At about 5:10 p.m., an officer responded to the traffic stop taking place on Santa Anita Avenue at Camino Real Avenue to assist with a juvenile who approached the scene to report she was missing. The officer transported the juvenile to the Arcadia Police Department where a records check revealed she was missing out of El Monte. An investigation revealed the juvenile ran off after an argument with her mother. She was later released to her parents.