Gunshot Victim Near "Cocoon"

About 2:oo AM this morning, Officers were called to the area of "Cocoon Gentlemen's Club" in the 1500 blk of Clark St. regarding a victim of a shooting. A male victim was found on the street, near the club, suffering from multiple gun shot wounds. The victim was treated at the scene by medics and transported to a local hospital. The shooting occurred on the street and there was no additional information at the time. The investigation is being conducted by APD Detectives and anyone with information is asked to call (626) 574-5160.

Tuesday Tip - Check Their License

People get taken advantage of in many ways when it comes to consumer fraud. One common scheme that is fairly easy to protect yourself against is the unlicensed contractor or repair person. Be careful when you respond to an ad for remodeling, for home repair, for tree trimming, or other services. Be leery of the person who is "just passing by" who stops and offers to perform body work on a car in your driveway. Not only does the City require a business license to perform most work in town, but the State requires many professions to maintain licenses as well. Check websites like the State Contractors Board and the LA County District Attorney for license information and other consumer fraud tips. Do homework before you enter into financial arrangements with these people. Don't be taken advantage of!

Happy Chinese New Year

2009 celebrates the year of the Ox. Today, January 26th is Chinese New Year. Best wishes to all on this Chinese New Year 2009 from the APOA.

Dark sky for Santa Anita & SUNshine Millions today. Hopefully a good size crowd will brighten up the day.

Promotions and Some History

The Arcadia Police Department hosted a celebration of its own on Tuesday, promoting 5 supervisors. Officers Vaughan Whalen, Jason Davis, and Stan Flores were each promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and Sergeants Colleen Flores and Roy Nakamura were promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Chief Bob Sanderson took a moment to speak on the careers of each of them and praised them for their achievements. City Manager Don Penman presented each of the supervisors their new wallet badge in honor of their promotions. Pictured above are from left to right, Vaughan Whalen, Jason Davis, Bob Sanderson, Roy Nakamura, Colleen Flores, and Stan Flores.

Colleen Flores becomes the first woman in the history of the Department to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and become a member of our management team. So, history was not made in Washington DC alone this week. Lieutenant Flores is pictured below with City Manager Don Penman. Photos by Emily Burkardt.

Tuesday Tip - Minimize Theft at the Gym

Chances are that many people have made a New Years resolution to hit the gym more often in 2009. The gym is a great place to shed pounds and lessen the stress of your day, but it is also a place where thieves land in order to fulfil their resolution to rip you off. We have run a tip on auto burglary prevention which included information like reminding you not to leave valuables in your car and items in plain sight, but you must also be alert when inside the gym. Use locks and choose a locker in the open when you choose to bring items inside. Leave what you can at home. Try using a lanyard to hang a minimal set of keys and your ID around your neck forgoing the use of a locker. Use clothing with zippered pockets as an alternative to lessen the chance of items falling out. Bottom line, minimize your exposure to the chance of loss and becoming a victim. Be alert and pay attention.

Tuesday Tip - License Plates and Registration Tabs

An often overlooked theft is sometimes discovered by car owners when they receive a parking ticket or are stopped by an officer for "no plates" or an expired year tab. We walk past our cars everyday and assume that our license plates are intact. Take a quick look at your car before you get in and check your plates. Thieves will sometimes target a license plate of a similar vehicle in order to "cold plate" or hide a crime such as a stolen vehicle or lack of insurance. Year tabs are stolen and used to falsify registration on out of date vehicles or vehicles with no current insurance coverage. Make sure to fasten your license plates securely to your vehicle. Discourage theft of year tabs by removing old tabs and scoring the newly installed tab with a razor blade. Report the theft of plates or tabs to your local police. Replacements can be obtained from either the DMV or AAA.

Woman Robbed in Parking Lot

A woman walking through a shopping center parking lot on Golden West at Duarte was accosted by an unknown male on Wednesday at about 5:30 PM. A car pulled along side the woman and the passenger male reached out and grabbed the woman's purse. She struggled with the suspect who ultimately forced the purse from the victim's grasp. The suspect and vehicle then fled from the parking lot. The suspect was as male and the vehicle was a light colored, 4 dr Volvo.

Armed Robbery in Albertson's Lot

Last Sunday morning at about 10:40 AM, a woman was held up at gunpoint in the parking lot of Albertson's in the 200 blk East Live Oak. The suspect was a male Hispanic, about 18-20 years old who fled on foot with the victim's purse.

Quick Facts for 2008

APD handled 49,699 incidents in 2008 and issued 6,705 cases for investigations.

Tuesday Tip - Double Yellow Lines

Drivers often ask about crossing or turning over double yellow lines. It is lawful to turn across a double yellow line in order to turn into or out of public or private property. Double yellow lines are generally used to divide a roadway when there is two-way traffic. Passing is not allowed over a double yellow line at any time. Take a look at the DMV website for additional information on roadway markings. Remember that two double yellow sets of lines in a roadway constitute a divided roadway and are a painted median. It is unlawful to turn across such a marking.

East-West Bank Robber Suspect Photo

The suspect in the bank robbery at the East-West Bank on 12/24/08 is pictured above. Any information on the suspect can be called in to APD Detectives at (626) 574-5150

Pursuit Ends in Arrest

An Officer was alerted to an auto burglary having just occurred shortly after 7:00 PM last night. The crime occurred in the public parking lot near First Avenue and Wheeler Street. The witness pointed out a suspect fleeing in a vehicle from the area and units attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The suspect failed to yield and led Officers on a 41 mile long pursuit into Orange County. The pursuit was primarily on the freeways and at times reached speeds of 80-100 mph. The California Highway Patrol assisted, taking over the pursuit on the southbound 57 freeway. The suspect left the freeway in Buena Park and abandoned the vehicle, only to be quickly taken into custody by the CHP. The suspect was transported to APD and booked for felony evading and suspicion of burglary.

Updates during the pursuit were posted on California Fire Page HERE.