Celebrate Halloween Safely!

Have a festive Halloween and remember to watch out for all the ghosts and goblins roaming our neighborhoods tonight. Drive safely and always remember to not Drink and Drive.

Don't forget to check out this week's Tuesday Tip on Halloween safety and here are some last minute tips from SilentWitness.org (Phoenix AZ);

Plane Debris Falls from Sky

Shortly before 3:00 PM on Thursday, October 16th, school children at Highland Oaks Elementary School in north Arcadia were surprised to see a piece of sheet metal fall from the sky. The piece of metal landed on the soccer field at the school and no one was injured. The children immediately reported the incident to teachers and APD was called. Officers found that the approximately 2’ x 2’ piece of lightweight metal had possibly fallen from a passing plane. The item was removed by Officers and the FAA was notified. The FAA is conducting an investigation into the incident and believes that the piece of metal came loose from a plane which flew out of Brackett Field in Pomona.

Downtown Auto Burglaries

Thieves burglarized three autos during the evening hours Tuesday night in the downtown area. One victim was parked at the 24 Hour Fitness on First Avenue and the other two were in the Outback Restaurant parking lot on East Huntington Drive. Two of the crimes were reported around 9:00 PM Tuesday night. The third victim filed a late report today.

Freeway Traffic Snarled Twice

Eastbound traffic on the IS 210, west of Santa Anita Avenue was backed up this morning about 8:00 AM with a crash involving a charter bus according to the Tribune. Pictured above is a semi trailer that caught fire later in the day, westbound on the freeway at Santa Anita. The trailer had been carrying construction debris. Arcadia and Monrovia Fire Departments made short work of the fire, dousing it with water. Link to the Arcadia Weekly for additional photos from Terry Miller, HERE.

Tuesday Tip - Safe Halloween Fun

Keeping our children safe is always a priority. Halloween is a time for fun but parents need to make sure that our kids not only enjoy the night, but are safe in their ghoulish travels. Here are a few links to sites with Safe Trick or Treating Tips;

• Children's Safety Zone


• The Friday Zone


• Halloween Safety Guide

Aside from safety tips, here is some local fun for your Trick or Treaters;

Halloween Fun for Kids
Arcadia Community Center
Friday, October 31 • 4:30 - 6:30pm

Join us for our fifth annual Haunted Halloween event! Elementary school students can roam the haunted hallways of the Community Center and enjoy activities like the Eewey Gooey Room, Scary Crafts and a Costume Contest. Trick-or-Treating and Goblin Games will also be featured. Due to the popularity of Halloween Happenings and the extension of Daylight Savings Time, we will be expanding the event to include outdoor activities. This event is free of charge and open to the public.

Successful Breeders' Cup 2008

Breeders’ Cup came and went this past weekend at Santa Anita Park seeing an influx of thousands of patrons to the track and City. Actual attendance was not quite what was expected but a full house none the less. Arcadia Police Officers, along with many allied agencies, were present and lead a coordinated Law Enforcement response to the event. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations, US Customs, Department of Homeland Security, the Pasadena Police Department, the West Covina Police Department, Foothill Special Enforcement Team, and Santa Anita Race Track Security/Operations, all provided logistical, manpower or equipment support to APD. Breeders’ Cup ran smoothly from the law enforcement perspective thanks to the cooperative effort of all personnel involved.

Closing Day at Santa Anita, Oak Tree Ends Today

South End Residential Burglaries

Four residential burglaries were reported yesterday. Three of the burgs occurred at residences south of Duarte Road and east of Santa Anita Avenue. The three south end burglaries were committed during daytime hours and appear to be similar in nature based on proximity and time frame. It is unknown if the burglaries are related. The locations of occurrence were in the 600 blk Beverly Drive, the 1100 blk Encino Avenue and the 2200 blk South Eighth Avenue.

Copper Wire Theft

Thieves made off with a large amount of copper wire "runs" from an AT&T storage unit in South Arcadia. Sometime during the course of the last month, the suspect(s) gained entry to the unit by unknown means and took spools of wire and also cut portions of wire from the wall. The wire can be sold as scrap for profit. The crime was reported earlier today. Wire theft seems to be a growing trend in the SGV. The Tribune just ran a story on the theft of wire from a local little league field as well as a story on the conviction of a man for wire theft.

Breeders' Cup This Weekend!

Santa Anita Race Track will be hosting the Breeders' Cup this weekend. Breeder’s Cup races will be run on both Friday and Saturday, October 24th and 25th. Refer the Santa Anita website for post hours and general information. Traffic flow in the area will be heavier than normal due to the crowds. Please allow yourself extra time if travelling in the City this weekend. Overflow parking for the event will be directed to the LA Co. Park if needed. The only planned road closure will be Colorado Place between Colorado Boulevard and Huntington Drive, each day from about 3:30 PM till 6:30 PM. Gates to the parking lots may be intermittently closed due to traffic flow, but Officers will be on hand to direct traffic as efficiently as possible.

Closing day for the Oak Tree Meet is Sunday, October 26th, and may also draw heavier crowds and traffic to the area. Please be patient with traffic and help the City welcome the 2008 Breeders' Cup to Santa Anita Race Track.

45 Day Moratorium on Massage Therapist Apps

The Arcadia City Council enacted a 45-day moratorium for any new licensing for massage therapy businesses or for individual massage therapists at the Tuesday night meeting yesterday. This moratorium may be extended past the 45 days if the City needs further time to study the issue and for City staff to present a new comprehensive plan to regulate such businesses. City staff is considering new regulations and safeguards for massage therapy businesses that will make it very difficult for illegitimate “therapists” or businesses from obtaining a license to operate.

UPDATE: Since the original post, our Police Chief Bob Sanderson conducted an interview with KABC7 which can be viewed HERE. The interview was aired on October 24th. There is also a fairly detailed article in the LA Times that gives additional information on the topic.

Grand Theft, Sign of the Times of Just Thievery?

Shortly before 8:00 PM, Sunday night, a male and female suspect gathered in excess $900 worth of items in a basket at the Ralph's Grocery in the 1100 blk W. Huntington Drive. The pair exited the store without making even an attempt to pay for the goods. The 20 year old female from Los Angeles was detained but the male half eluded security. The female suspect was arrested for grand theft.

Auto Burglary Arrests

Early Sunday morning, a resident reported hearing banging noises coming from a neighbor's driveway in the 500 blk Altura. Officers found two males lurking in the area and discovered that there was an attempted auto burglary at the location. Three other vehicles had been found with thefts just up the block. A 25 year old parolee from Monrovia and a 27 year old San Gabriel man were arrested for auto burglary.

Tuesday Tip - "Stop on Red, Kids Ahead"

National School Bus Safety Week runs this week, October 20th - 24th. We will take the opportunity to run a modified version of a previous post, reminding everyone to stop for school bus red lights. The original post ran in May.

School buses are equipped with flashing red lights that are activated when loading or unloading pupils. California law requires that drivers approaching from either side of the bus, must stop and remain stopped while the red lights and stop arms are activated. The only exceptions to the law come into play when the bus is stopped on a roadway with multiple lanes and a divided highway or a raised center divider. If you are approaching from the opposite direction and on the opposite side of the road from the bus, you may proceed. This section, CVC 22454, also applies to private roads.

This law was created for the safety of our students. It is imperative that drivers yield and stop for buses with red lights on. School bus drivers are required to assist pupils when crossing in front of the bus and may appear at any time. Be aware of pedestrians and watch our for darting kids!

Preventing Identity Theft on Your PC

Yahoo Finance recently ran an article written by Consumer Reports that outlines some basic information on protecting yourself from Identity Theft while on the computer. Take a look at the seven points that are outlined in the article. Excellent tips and reminders to help keep your personal information at home.

Tuesday Tip - Mature Drivers

When collisions or other traffic incidents occur involving a "mature driver", questions are often raised that ask whether or not the person should still be driving. Family members or friends sometimes take this a step further and ask what they can do to help or even how can they take the license away. There is no easy answer.

Officers in the field have the ability to require a driver to participate in a "reevaluation" with the DMV. If an Officer observes that the driver lacks ability, is physically incapable or is displaying signs that their driving is unsafe, the Officer can refer any driver, not just an older driver, to DMV. However, family members, a friend or neighbor can also contact DMV with their concerns. You may write a letter to DMV describing why you believe that a driver is no longer capable of driving safely. This action could initiate a reevaluation as well. Under certain medical conditions, a physician is also required to submit information to DMV.

The best step for anyone with a concern about a friend or loved one's driving is to become involved. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has information on the topic and links to pamphlets that can be downloaded. Another great resource is AARP. The AARP website has a page dedicated to driver safety which includes a link to warning signs, information on classes, a driver safety IQ test, and other information applicable to the topic.

Take a look at these references. Gather information and knowledge on the topic and get involved. Deciding when not to drive is a tough choice and hard to breach with a loved one. Reasons for driving such as independence or even the simple desire to continue driving, need to be weighed against the probability of the driver injuring themselves or even worse, someone else.

Wildfire Mutual Aid

Officers from throughout the San Gabriel Valley gathered at APD tonight preparing for mutual aid assignments with LAPD and LASD as part of the Law Enforcement "Area D" Mutual Aid. The mutual aid response was activated to assist with the Marek, Sesnon and Porter Ranch fires. Mutual aid agencies typically dedicate a portion of their forces when called upon in emergencies.

Arcadia PD Adds to Ranks

Chief Bob Sanderson proudly introduced two "new" Officers to the APD family today during a swearing in ceremony at the Arcadia City Council Chambers. City Clerk Jim Barrows delivers the oath of office to Officer Joel Ibarra and Reserve Officer Lisa Hogue in the above photo. Joel has been a Reserve Police Officer with APD for about 19 years. He recently updated his training and qualified to become a full time Officer. Lisa has been a Volunteer in our Mounted Enforcement Unit(AMET) for two years and becomes the first Reserve Officer assigned to AMET. Lisa took the initiative to attend the Rio Hondo Police Academy Reserve Program on her own time in order to be appointed a Reserve Police Officer. Lisa is the first Reserve appointed to the Mounted Unit since the 1970's.

Fatal Auto/Pedestrian Collision

At about 11:41 AM, October 8, 2008, Officers responded to the intersection of Duarte Road and Golden West Avenue in West Arcadia on report of a pedestrian involved collision. On arrival, Officers located an injured male victim in the roadway and the driver of the striking vehicle at the scene. AFD Paramedics arrived and rendered first aid to the victim who was transported to a local hospital. The pedestrian succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.

The pedestrian was apparently struck in the crosswalk by a vehicle making a left turn at the intersection. The male victim was an 83 year old resident of Arcadia and the driver is an 88 year old male resident of San Gabriel. The driver was interviewed and not arrested or issued a citation at the time. The investigation is continuing.

The photo above shows Officers conducting a portion of the investigation at the scene. Duarte Road, east of Golden West was shut down to thru traffic for about two hours.

Red Ribbon Week 2008

Red Ribbon Week will run in Arcadia from October 20st-27th, 2008. Red Ribbon Week began in remembrance of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena who was kidnapped and murdered in Mexico in 1985. Agent Camarena had been working undercover for the DEA and was key in developing information that led to the eradication of large scale narcotics manufacturing operations in Mexico. Mexican cartel leaders sought revenge for these operations, murdering alleged informants and ultimately Agent Camarena. The Red Ribbon Coalition website gives a well written summary of the history of Red Ribbon Week and offers an excellent tribute to slain DEA Agent "Kiki" Enrique Camarena.

Following his death, in Agent Camarena's home town, Calexico, CA, the public outpouring of support turned in to an organized community response in which citizens dawned red ribbons. They became a voice for prevention in order to reduce the demand for illegal drugs and use of drugs in America. The following year the California State PTA adopted the Red Ribbon Campaign. Then, in 1988, Red Ribbon Week was recognized nationally with President Ronald and First Lady Nancy Reagan serving as the Honorary Chairs.

Today, the Red Ribbon Celebration brings millions of people together to raise awareness regarding the need for alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention, early intervention, and treatment services. It is the largest, most visible prevention awareness campaign observed annually in the United States.

Tuesday Tip - Being Safe at Home

A topic that is important to all of us is knowing that we are safe in our homes. There are plenty of businesses, organizations and websites that offer burglary prevention tips for while you are gone, but what about some simple steps to help ensure your personal safety while at home? What do you do when someone knocks at your door? What should you do if you see someone suspicious in your neighborhood? Do you lock your front door when working in the back yard? Is the person at your door really a legitimate service employee?

Here are some quick thoughts on staying safe while at home:


· Don’t just answer your door. Use peep holes or sidelight windows to see who is at the door. Ask, “Who’s there?” Challenge anyone you don’t recognize as to who they are and what their business is. Take a look out your window. Is there a marked service vehicle, a police car, UPS, or vehicle you recognize?
· If you contact the caller, always ask for work ID if you are not positive of who they are.
· Keep your front door locked, especially if you are upstairs, outback or in another portion of the house. Unlocked doors are an invitation to trouble.
· Keep garages closed. An open garage is an invitation for theft.
· Close and lock windows at night, or at least use a window stop to limit the opening.
· If you have a cordless phone, keep it with you.
· Know your neighbors and your neighborhood. Be familiar with faces and cars. If you see someone in the area that is acting suspicious, on your property or someone else’s, give your local police a call right away.
· Look around as you pull into your driveway or walk outside. Be aware of who and what is around you.

Suspects look for victims. Suspects look for a weakness, an opening, an easy target. Some will try and scam or trick you in to allowing them entrance to your home. Make things as difficult as possible. Do use common sense and be proactive about your own and your family’s safety.

"A Look Back" - 1932 APD

This photo comes courtesy of former APD Sergeant Paul Tulleners and depicts a group of Officers in front of the Wheeler Station in 1932. Paul has identified the Officers by name. As noted in the previous post, Paul has loaned his 1935 HD Police Motorcycle to APD, along with old photo collages and historical information about APD.

1935 Harley-Davidson Police Motorcycle

Former Arcadia Police Sergeant Paul Tulleners has loaned the Arcadia Police Department his pride and joy; a 1935 Harley-Davidson Police Motorcycle. This motorcycle was believed to have been in service at our department from 1935 to 1939. It was bought at auction in 1939 and was kept in storage until the 1960’s when Paul purchased it and restored it to its current condition. Paul worked at APD from 1965 to 1973 when he left to pursue a career with the Department of Justice. The motorcycle, along with many old photos and documentation, is on display in the atrium of APD.

Composite vs. Reality; Crime Spree Suspect

Take a look for yourself. 26 year old Anthony Hislar was arrested in connection with the one man "Crime Spree" that wound through LA and Orange counties. This likeness, created after interview with some of the victims, is just one tool used to seek out Hislar. Here are a small batch of stories that have been aired since the events began to unfold;

KABC7 (video)

San Gabriel Valley Tribune and HERE

APOA Blog

LA Times and HERE (video)

KCBS2 (video)

Pomona PD Reaches Out to Community; "PPD 10-FIVE" on YouTube

Earlier this summer, Pomona PD took a step forward in the Law Enforcement world by reaching out to the community via the Internet. They have a batch of videos on the Department's YouTube site that give a look inside PPD. Take a look at Chief Joe Romero's introduction to PPD 10-FIVE. This is a great way to touch the community and share information.

Wanted - Commercial Burglary

On 9/20/08, at approximately 5:35 AM, a witness heard the sound of breaking glass from the area of MD Audio, located at 25 Las Tunas. The witness saw a newer black SUV parked directly in front of MD Audio. The witness then observed two suspects exit the front shattered door carrying boxes. The suspects loaded the boxes in the cargo area of the SUV, got into the front of the vehicle which fled the scene, west bound on Las Tunas.

Suspect 1: Driver, M/W, tan skin, short dark brown hair, unshaven, 508, wearing a dark shirt and dark pants, NFD.

Suspect 2: Passenger, W/M, tan skin, grey “golfers” style hat, 5-08 wearing a long sleeve white shirt and dark pants, NFD.

Vehicle: Newer black SUV.

Any information or questions, call Det. Hernandez at 626- 574-5168. Case No 08-4791.

APOA Lends a Hand

On September 24th, Teresa Barrera parked her vehicle on the street, outside an elementary school in south Arcadia. Teresa locked her car and entered the school for only a moment. Teresa returned to find her car burglarized. The thieves made off with her purse and contents. Since the burglary, Teresa also learned that she has been victimized through fraudulent use of her name and credit information.

During follow-up investigation, one of our Investigators and APOA Vice-President, Mike Hale, learned that Teresa’s purse held a Nintendo game belonging to Teresa’s six year old daughter, Jasmine. He also found out that Teresa is a single mom working toward obtaining her teacher’s assistant certificate through Pasadena City College. Teresa is unemployed and had saved for quite some time in order to purchase the game for her daughter. After the theft, Jasmine was heartbroken and told her mom that she could not understand why someone would do such a thing to their family.

The APOA Board heard of the incident and decided to lend a hand. The APOA has purchased a Nintendo Game, a carrying purse and two new games for Jasmine. Teresa, Jasmine and younger sister, Tatiana, came to the Department today to meet with APOA President Troy Hernandez and VP Mike Hale. Jasmine was given her new game and Teresa was presented with a $250 gift certificate to Ralph’s Grocery to help as well. This was a nice surprise for both of them.

Pictured above are Jasmine and Tatiana with Troy and Mike behind.

UPDATE: Terry Miller from the Arcadia Weekly and Robert Hong from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune were kind enough to cover the story as well. Take a look on their links.

Mary Jane Goes to Lunch

This sort of story does not warrant much attention on watch logs, but this incident jumps out as one for the lack of common sense files;

A local municipal worker goes on a lunch break yesterday and ventures to a shady spot in an Arcadia residential neighborhood. The worker parks their truck and decides to "mellow out" with their friend, "Mary Jane." The worker becomes so relaxed that they lay back in the truck and as one Officer put it, "languidly dangled" their bare foot out the window. An Officer stops to check on the hanging foot and surprises the subject, interrupting their moment of relaxation. Needless to say, the worker left slightly less relaxed and with a citation.

Armed Robbery Near Bowling Square

Two suspects confronted our victim in the parking lot of Bowling Square in the 1000 blk of South Baldwin Avenue shortly before 9:00 PM on Monday night, September 29th. One suspect was armed with a handgun and demanded money and a phone from the victim. Both suspects were described as male Hispanics, 20 years, wearing dark clothing. The suspects fled on foot.