A Close Shave
On Wednesday, May 4, at 8:32pm officers of the Santa Monica Police Department received a radio call informing them that there had been a possibly a robbery or an assault at the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Broadway. The officers hastened to the scene and when they arrived they spotted the victim. The officers asked this victim what had happened and the victim stated that he had been walking along the 700 block of Broadway when for no reason whatsoever the suspect began to yell obscenities and insults towards the victim. The victim had been able at that time to walk away from the suspect, but the suspect had followed the victim, all the while hurling threats. The victim stopped at that juncture and the suspect suddenly drew a knife and attempted to cut the victim multiple times by swinging the knife at the victim. The victim managed to evade this onslaught and was not injured during the suspect’s attempts to hurt the victim. The officers went in search of the suspect and discovered this 35-year-old homeless man in the 900 block of Broadway where they arrested him and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $30,000.
UnShore
On Monday, May 2, at 5:39pm officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were on a routine patrol in the area of the 1500 block of Second Street when they noticed a group of people chasing after a man. The officers soon deduced that this group of people consisted of several employees and a security guard from the Shore Hotel (located at 1515 Ocean Avenue) and the man that they were chasing was suspected to have been involved in a crime. The officers joined in the chase and detained the suspect before they initiated an investigation. The officers spoke with the employees and security guard of the Shore Hotel and discovered that the suspect had been involved in numerous previous incidents at the hotel that involved thefts from the vending machines at the property. The security guard told the officers that this man had entered the hotel on the above date and had immediately caught the eyes of the employees who had begun to monitor this man’s movements. As the man had approached the hotel vending machines the employees had attempted to speak with him and this man had suddenly become aggressive and had physically assaulted an employee. The suspect had then run out of the hotel with the employees hot on his heels. The officers arrested this 43-year-old homeless man and he was later charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of drugs paraphernalia, assault and a violation of probation. Bail was not granted.
Deconstructed
On Tuesday, May 3, at 6:43pm patrolling officers of the Santa Monica Police Department monitored a radio report that said that a citizen had reported the presence of a prowler in the 300 block of Adelaide Avenue. These officers drove to the area and spotted a shadowy figure moving around a construction site that was surrounded by a security fence. The officers spotted this individual pick something up from the construction site and begin to walk away. The officers apprehended this man and began to ask the man questions. This man confessed to the officers that the item that he had removed from the construction site did not belong to him. The officers asked this man for his personal details and the man gave the officers identification information that turned out to be false so the officers arrested this 34-year-old homeless man. This man was later charged with providing false information to the police. Bail was set at $5,000.
Shopping Basket Case
On Thursday, May 5, at 2:47pm officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were on patrol in the area of the Von’s Supermarket, located at 710 Broadway, when they spotted a man running across the parking lot of the market carrying a store issue shopping basket. The officers watched as this man ran across the street in violation of the jaywalking vehicle code. The officers were then approached by the security guard from the Von’s store who told the officers that the man that they had seen running across the parking lot and the street had stolen several items from the store. The officers chased after this suspect and caught him and searched the man. The officers discovered that this 53-year-old homeless man was in possession of drugs paraphernalia so he was arrested and charged with that offense in addition to being charged with petty theft and other outstanding warrants. Bail was not granted.
Editor’s Note: These reports are part of a regular police coverage series entitled “Alert Police Blotter” (APB), which injects some minor editorial into certain police activities in Santa Monica. Not all of The Mirror’s coverage of incidents involving police are portrayed in this manner. More serious crimes and police-related activities are regularly reported without editorial in the pages of the Santa Monica Mirror and its website, smmirror.com
