Happy Halloween 2009!

Celebrate Halloween safely! Watch out for all the ghosts and goblins roaming our streets tonight. As always, Don't Drink and Drive!

Happy Halloween 2009!

Wanted for Commercial Burglary

During late August and September, two commercial burglaries occurred, both to businesses in the 300 block of South First Avenue. Entry was gained by smashing windows and in both cases, large plasma televisions were taken. The two suspects pictured are both male Hispanics. The photo above shows one suspect looking directly into the surveillance camera. A possible suspect vehicle associated with the crime is described as a Nissan Maxima, dark in color. Anyone who recognizes either of these suspects is asked to call APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.

Winds Lead to a Busy Night

The winds last evening lead to an increased call load throughout the City. Power lines down and power outages throughout the area, audible alarms and blacked out intersections kept units busy. No injuries were reported due to the winds, however, units did respond on downed trees or limbs on both a vehicle and a house at different locations. Damage was minor in both incidents.

MADD Launches New Campaign

MADD has launched a new campaign called, The Power of Parents. Visit the website and take a look! Help prevent teen drunk driving and underage drinking. Remember, "It's Your Influence."

Receiving Stolen Property Arrest

Last night around 10:00 PM, Arcadia Officers were called to the 00 blk. of Alta Street on report of a suspect possibly burglarizing vehicles. Responding Officers found a person matching the suspect description walking in the area. He was ultimately detained and found to have stereo face plates taken in a local auto burglary. An 18 year old Arcadia man was arrested and booked at APD. Any additional burglary victims are asked to call APD at (626) 574-5151.

Tuesday Tip - Halloween Safety

The safety of our children is on our minds each and every day. The celebrations and traditions that go along with Halloween add to the importance of monitoring our children's activity and giving them the guidance to help keep them safe. Here are a couple of websites that offer good tips on Halloween safety:

• Instant Amber
• Halloween-Safety.com

There are also options to traditional "trick or treating" that allow your children to celebrate in a controlled and safe environment. The Arcadia Public Library is offering a trick or treat in the library on Wednesday, October 28th from 4:00-6:30 PM and the City is offering their 6th annual Halloween event at the Community Center on Friday, October 30th from 4:30-6:30 PM. See the City of Arcadia website for details.

Short Pursuit Leads to Arrest

A 23 year old Temple City man led Arcadia Officers on a short pursuit Monday night at about 10:00 PM, crashing his Toyota pick-up into the curb and a fire hydrant at Live Oak and Bradford. The suspect had been driving recklessly in the area of Baldwin and Workman prior to the pursuit and was taken into custody at the collision scene.

Tuesday Tip - Earthquake Safety

Law Enforcement along with all emergency service personnel respond when an earthquake strikes. The better prepared every family and individual is, the better off we will all be in the event of a catastrophic quake. Emergency services are prioritized in the event of a disaster and you may not receive the immediate response from police, fire, medics, public works or any other service that would normally occur on a daily basis. FEMA has a website dedicated to earthquake preparedness and includes topics of what to do BEFORE, during and after an earthquake. Other websites have earthquake and disaster preparedness lists and are a great resource for preplanning. The American Red Cross has ready made kits available as well. Take the time to research the topic. Discuss options with your family and be ready in the event of a significant earthquake in our area.

Farewell to Sergeant Ray Casey

Retired APD Sergeant Ray Casey lost his battle to cancer last week, passing away on October 8th. Ray, who was 77 years old, served the City of Arcadia for 28 years, retiring in May of 1989. Ray was described by many of us as a great leader and supervisor, a great friend, and simply put, "A Cops Cop." A memorial service was held for Ray earlier today at Annunciation Catholic Church. Ray will always be remembered at APD. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Bears Destroyed

Over the course of the last few months, Officers were alerted to the continual presence of two adult black bears that were frequenting neighborhoods near Hillgreen Place, Highland Oaks Drive and Canyon. The bears appeared to be "nesting" to the rear of one home and had become a dangerous nuisance to residents. Attempts were made using conventional means to remove the bears from the area. Through communication with the Department of Fish and Game, the decision was made to destroy the animals. On two separate occasions during the week of October 5th, Arcadia Officers were alerted to the presence of the bears and did destroy both animals. The carcass of each bear was removed by Fish and Game officials.

Morning Residential Hot Prowl Burglary

On Wednesday morning, October 14th, a resident in the 1100 block of Singingwood was awakened to see a male suspect rummaging through property in his bedroom. The suspect fled out the front door with a loss of some cash and credit cards. The incident occurred shortly after 7:00 AM and it appears that the suspect possibly gained entry through a kitchen window.

Drop, Cover and Hold On!

The Great California Shake Out will take place tomorrow, 10/15/09, at 10:15 AM. Take a look at the website for information on the internationally recognized, "Drop, Cover and Hold On!"

Strong Arm Parking Lot Robbery

A female shopper was knocked to the ground and her purse was stolen while walking in the parking lot of the President's Square shopping center at about 5:20 PM Sunday. The female was walking in the lot when the lone suspect ran up to her and tried to grab her purse. The victim resisted and was knocked to the ground. The suspect then pulled the victim's purse from her arm and ran to an awaiting vehicle. The suspect vehicle was described as an older model Honda, gray in color. The suspect was described as a male Hispanic, 20-30 years old, short dark hair, wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information is asked to call APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.

Two Men Robbed at Gunpoint

Early Sunday morning at about 7:50 AM, two men were seated in their vehicle outside their employer in the 5600 block Peck Road when they were confronted by a lone suspect brandishing a handgun. The suspect pointed the weapon at the victims demanding their wallets and cash. The victims complied and the suspect fled in a older model gray sedan, possibly a BMW. The suspect was described as a male Hispanic, 20-25 years with a shaved head, last seen driving south on Peck Road.

Motor Officer Injured

Shortly after 7:00 AM yesterday, an on-duty Arcadia Motor Officer was injured when he was involved in a collision with a vehicle at the intersection of Huntington Drive and Second Avenue. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured, however, the Officer was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.

The members of the APOA wish the best and a speedy recovery to our Officer.

Auto Burglary Suspect in Custody

Over the course of Friday night to Saturday morning, at least seven auto burglaries or thefts from vehicle occurred in the area of the "San" streets. Victims reported crimes occurring on San Miguel, San Antonio, San Luis Rey, and Santa Cruz. Reported loss included various items, cash, stereo equipment, garage door openers, and other items.

On Sunday afternoon, a Monrovia Police Officer detained an individual who was in possession of some of the stolen property. Follow-up investigation by Arcadia Officers at a local hotel revealed additional property related to the auto burglaries. A 32 year old male from Pasadena was arrested and booked at APD on suspicious of auto burglary. This case is a good example of good communication and cooperation between local police agencies.

If you were the victim of a similar crime and have not reported the incident, please contact APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.

Tuesday Tip - Avoid that Parking Ticket

School has been back in session for some time now and although traffic has settled down from the first few weeks, there is certainly no shortage of violations near the schools. Some of the most common complaints and requests for service are related to parking violations. In the rush to drop off a child, it is not uncommon to find parents double parking, stopping in a lane of traffic to drop off or pick up a child, parking/stopping in a red zone, parking well away from the curb because "the trash can" was in the way, blocking or impeding a resident's driveway...you name it, we see it.

Here are a few suggestions to help alleviate the congestion and avoid a parking or moving citation:

• Leave a few minutes earlier and avoid the rush.
• Park a little further away and walk your child to school.
• Obey all parking regulations.
• Follow the school's traffic plan.
• Be patient.
• Keep off the phone and pay attention.
• Set the example, don't encourage unsafe or illegal behavior.
• Be courteous to the neighbors. It is not OK to impede a driveway even if only for a few minutes.

Red Ribbon Week 2009

Red Ribbon Week will run in Arcadia from October 25th-31st, 2009. 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.

Arcadia Officers Arrest 4 in Stabbing Incident

The stabbing of a 16 year old victim last week led to the service of search warrants this morning at four locations in the City of Arcadia. Arcadia Detectives were assisted by other members of APD and several outside agency gang investigators who fanned out armed with the search warrants, as well as arrest warrants for four suspects in the stabbing. Three adult males and a 17 year old male, all from Arcadia, were arrested and booked at APD on felony charges of Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

GMA Video on Staged Collisions

ABC's Good Morning America ran a story on staged collisions this morning. Link to the story and video HERE. The report gives good information to be aware of in relation to insurance fraud and staged car collisions. Refer to the previous blog entry on having a "checklist" and tips if you are involved in a car crash.

AMET Awarded Mayor's Trophey in Hesperia

Congratulations are in order for Agt. Bruce Smith and the members of the Arcadia Mounted Enforcement Team, who were recently awarded two trophies in the Hesperia Days Parade and competition. AMET won a trophy in the “Open Equestrian” category for their division and a large trophy for the Mayor’s Award. Their success is a tribute to the pride and dedication each team member has in achieving individually high levels of skill in horsemanship as well as their overall team presentation.

We are proud of AMET’s accomplishment and for representing the Arcadia Police Department in such a fine manner as they always have done.

Tuesday Tip - Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic violence calls are all too common on police blotters. California law has evolved over the years and encourages officers to make arrests in these types of incidents. October has been designated Domestic Violence Awareness Month by the Domestic Violence Awareness Project. The purpose is to bring education and prevention efforts to the forefront and help reduce the number of domestic violence victims.

Additional information and resources on domestic violence issues can be found at the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council, the Los Angeles County District Attoryney's Office, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence websites. If you are a victim or know someone who is a victim, put an end to the cycle. Call your local police agency or a hotline today.

Teen Suffers Knife Wounds

At about 3:45 PM today, a teenage male and his companions were confronted by several other male teens near Duarte Road and Santa Anita Avenue. The confrontation became physical and a knife was pulled by one of the involved juveniles. One male teen was slashed multiple times and suffered superficial wounds. The suspect juveniles ran off to an nearby vehicle and fled. The victim was transported to a local hospital by friends prior to the arrival of police. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.