Temporary Parking Permits Available On-Line

The Arcadia Police Department is adding to services available on-line by making the purchase of temporary overnight parking permits available via the City website. Parking permits are required to park vehicles on City streets during overnight hours. The hours are changing to 2:30-5:30 AM effective January 15, 2010. APD currently offers on-line reporting for certain types of crime reports and will offer the on-line temporary parking permits effective January 9, 2010.

HERE is a link to the City website for future purchase of Temporary Overnight Parking Permits. This link is available on the home page of the City of Arcadia website under "On-Line Services." You can still purchase temporary permits in the lobby of APD. The charge for each night of parking is $3.00 either on-line or in the lobby. There is a $1.00 service fee per permit when purchased on-line.

Annual overnight parking permits are available for purchase at the Cashier's Office in City Hall. Both Annual and Temporary Overnight Parking Permits only allow vehicles to park on the street overnight, not in violation of any other regulations or signs.

Carless Suspects Arrested for Auto Burglary at Mall

Sloppy work on the part of two suspects landed them in jail on Sunday evening, booked on suspicion of auto burglary. At about 6:30 PM, the victim returned to his parked car at the Westfield Shoppingtown, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, to find his stereo yanked from the dash. Along with the theft, the victim recovered a set of keys and a remote that were left inside the his car. The victim saw two suspicious males parked next to his vehicle and left the scene feeling that they may be involved in the theft. A short time later, the two suspects ventured into the mall security office looking for a set of lost keys. Needless to say, the incidents were all linked and two 18 year old males from Los Angeles went to jail. The stereo was later recovered.

Christmas Eve Robbery

At about 4:20 PM on Christmas Eve, a male victim was on his break from a local restaurant standing in the business parking lot located in the 500 block of Live Oak Avenue. The victim was approached by a male suspect who grabbed the victim by the arm and demanded his property. The victim struggled and fell to the ground. The suspect pointed a handgun at the victim and was able to take the victim's cell phone. The suspect then fled through a nearby alley.

The suspect was described as a male Hispanic, 20-25 years old, shaved head, wearing sunglasses, a dark shirt and jeans. The weapon used was a dark colored revolver. Anyone with information is asked to call the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5150.

Tuesday Tip - New Year's Eve Safety

We will celebrate New Year's Eve this week and there are a number of things to consider when it comes to celebrating safely. Here are a few things to think about for our New Years celebrations:

• Don't Drink and Drive!
• Use a designated driver, or if need be, call Jan's Tipsy Tow for a ride home for you and your car. See Jan's Towing website for details.
• DO NOT fire weapons into the air. Bullets and projectiles can travel long distances causing injury and death. You have no control where a projectile will land when fired indiscriminately into the air.
• Stay inside at the stroke of midnight! Celebrate with friends and family indoors.
• Keep an eye on your pets. Loud noises, fireworks, gunshots, all can be frightening to animals. Keep your pets indoors or consult your veterinarian for options. Make sure they are wearing collars with identification should they become lost.

Remember to celebrate safely and smartly. Enjoy the New Year celebration!

Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas 2009 is upon us. The APOA wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Take a moment and remember all your public safety personnel working today!

Saturday is Opening Day at Santa Anita

Saturday, December 26th, is the day after Christmas and the traditional Opening Day at Santa Anita Race Track. The streets of Arcadia will be crowded with race fans and shoppers throughout the day on Saturday. The gates at Santa Anita open at 9:30 AM and the first post is at 11:30 AM. Below are a few tips to help avoid the rush on Saturday;

• Avoid traveling on Huntington Drive or Baldwin Avenue between 10:00 AM -12:00 PM and later in the day between 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM due to race traffic.
• Colorado Place will be closed to southbound traffic at Colorado Street between 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM.
• Off ramps on the IS 210 freeway at Huntington Drive, Santa Anita Avenue, and Baldwin Avenue will be congested all day on Saturday. Consider using Michillinda Avenue and Myrtle.
• Baldwin Avenue will have heavy traffic all day long in the area of the Westfield Shoppingtown. Unless traveling to the mall or track, avoid this area.
• Alternate routes for travel through Arcadia may include Foothill Boulevard, Duarte Road, Camino Real, or Longden Avenues, and Santa Anita Avenue, Michillinda Avenue, Holly Avenue, or Second Avenue.
• Leave early and allow extra time for travel on Saturday. It will be a busy day in town and traffic will be frustrating. Stay calm and share the road. Get to your destination safely.

Tuesday Tip - Thieves Shop Mall Parking Lots

Vehicle burglaries are reported to local police throughout the year. However, during the holiday season, mall parking lots and parking structures are packed with vehicles that are sometimes stuffed with presents and packages. Just like presents under your family Christmas tree being an invite for a child's curiosity, your car filled with packages is an invitation for theft and auto burglary. Here are some tips to help prevent you from becoming a victim this holiday season;

• Park in well lighted areas.
• Lock your vehicle and set your alarm.
• If you must leave packages in your car, keep them out of sight. Some stores and malls offer to maintain your packages while you shop. Pick them up when you are all done.
• Do NOT make multiple trips to your vehicle. Thieves watch and wait in parking lots targeting persons leaving items in their cars.
• Be aware of your surroundings! Look about and see who is around when you park.

These are just a few suggestions. Take a look at a previous post on preventing auto burglary HERE for additional information.

2009 Arcadia Police Officer and Civilian Employee of the Year Awards

Detective Dan Crowther was named Arcadia Police Officer of the Year for 2009. The award was presented to Dan last night at the annual Arcadia Police Officers' Association Christmas party. (Pictured above are Chief Bob Sanderson, APOA President Troy Hernandez, APOA Vice President Mike Hale, Detective Dan Crowther, and Dan's wife, Janna Crowther)

Dan was honored earlier this year, receiving the Police Reserve Coordinator of the Year 2009 from the California Reserve Police Officers' Association as well.

Also honored at the party was APD Civilian of the Year 2009, our Evidence/Lab Technician, Emily Burkardt. Emily has only been with the Department for a year but has taken our evidence section and crime scene processing capabilities to a much higher level. (Pictured below is Chief Bob Sanderson and Lab Tech Emily Burkardt) Congratulations to both Dan and Emily! We are proud of your accomplishments and you both deserve your honors.

APOA Launches New Website

Take a look at the newly remodeled website for the Arcadia Police Officers' Association. Detective Mike Hale has worked hard on updating the website which is user friendly and has a sleek modern look. The site was launched today and can be accessed HERE.

Attempted Robbery

After leaving a business at First and Foothill, a male victim was confronted by a lone suspect demanding money. The suspect grabbed at the victim who fought back. After a brief struggle, the suspect pulled out what the victim described as a large kitchen knife, waving it at the victim. The suspect then abandoned his efforts and ran off with no loss.

The suspect was described as a male, African American, 30-40 years, 6'0, thin build, wearing dark clothing, transient in appearance. Although reported yesterday, the incident occurred Wednesday evening at about 7:30 PM.

Hours for Ovenight Parking Enforcement Change in 2010

The City of Arcadia is modifying the hours for enforcement of overnight parking regulations. Effective January 15, 2010, the new hours for enforcement will be from 2:30 AM through 5:30 AM. Any vehicle parked on a City street is required to display a parking permit during these hours or be subject to a parking citation.

Annual parking permits are available for purchase from the Cashier's Office at City Hall. You can download the application HERE. Temporary permits may be purchased in the lobby of APD and will soon be available on-line.

Remember that there is a suspension of enforcement for overnight parking for the holidays, from December 18, 2009 through January 8, 2010. No permit is required during this period. Enforcement of all other parking regulations remains in effect.

Robbery on West Duarte

At about 6:15 PM, a female victim was walking to her apartment in the 1100 block of West Duarte Road when she was accosted by two male suspects. The suspects grabbed the victim from behind and pulled her to the ground, stealing her purse. The victim suffered minor injury in the incident which occurred in the apartment courtyard. The suspects were described as males, wearing dark clothing, about 20-25 years old.

Tuesday Tip - "Flow of Traffic" and Speeding

There are plenty of websites devoted to fighting speeding tickets. Many of these sites advise you not to exclaim that you were just going with the "flow of traffic" when you appear in court. This is great advice! Why? First of all, if you tell the judge that you were simply going with the flow of traffic, you may be admitting to speeding. But more importantly, the "flow of traffic" has no bearing under most circumstances.

The State of California defines speed laws in CVC sections 22348-22352. In a nutshell, the State sets prima facie speed limits at 25 mph for school and senior zones, along with residential and business zones. The speed limit for alleys, uncontrolled railroad grade crossings and certain intersections at 15 mph. These speed limits are defined and not open to interpretation under the basic speed law. The only exception is if the roadway has been legally posted otherwise. So, if you are driving through a posted school zone with children present (25 mph), you may be cited for speed if you were travelling faster than the posted limit. Yes, even if you are in a group of vehicles and just going with "the flow." This is a common misconception, especially near schools when the 25 mph zones are being enforced.

Like the prima facie speed limits, the State also sets maximum speed at 65 mph unless legally posted otherwise. This applies primarily to our freeways. The speed limit is set and any driver travelling faster may be cited for speeding. Yes, again, even if everyone else is driving faster. If you feel that by driving the speed limit you are impeding the flow, then move to the right and stay in the slower lanes. Traffic does "flow" too fast. It is up to everyone to reduce highway speeds.

Local jurisdictions do indeed have the right to set local speed limits. Violations of posted limits in these areas fall under the basic speed law in California. A violation of a posted limit is written when the driver is travelling at an "unsafe speed" for conditions. It is up to the issuing Officer to determine and later prove to the court if the citation is contested, the safe speed for the roadway. Speed limits are set based on many factors; roadway conditions, type of area, cross traffic, visibility, number of lanes, just to name a few. If an Officer is conducting speed enforcement, they will also use other factors such as time of day, weather, amount of traffic, and more, when they determine at what speed a violation has occurred. And yes, even though the basic speed law is a bit more flexible, the "flow" of traffic is not a blanket excuse to drive fast.

Speed laws are set to protect all drivers and keep our roadways safe. Please be cognizant of your speed and drive within posted limits.

Happy Hanukkah!

Today begins the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, also referred to as the Festival of Lights. The APOA wishes you a Happy Hanukkah!

Activity Sampling from this Last Week

Theft Leads to Robbery
Shortly before 5:00 PM, a male suspect was confronted for stealing merchandise from the Rite-Aid at Las Tunas Drive and El Monte Avenue. When the employee attempted to stop the suspect, the suspect threatened to shoot the employee and then fled in a vehicle. No weapon was seen.

Explosion Damages Vehicle at Mall
Officers responded to a report of an explosion early Sunday morning at the Westfield Shoppingtown, located at 400 South Baldwin Avenue. Shortly before 1:00 AM, a security guard heard a loud explosion in a parking structure at the mall and notified APD. Officers arrived to find remnants of what possibly appeared to be a simulator hand grenade that had been tossed in the parking lot. A nearby vehicle sustained minor damage in the incident. No persons were in the area on arrival and there is no suspect information.

Residential Burglary - Hot Prowl
A home in the 1100 block of South Eighth Avenue was the scene of a burglary at about 4:15 PM on Monday. A resident was home at the time and confronted the lone suspect inside the location. The suspect fled with an amount of cash and other belongings. The suspect was described as a male, possibly Hispanic, 30-40 years, dark hair, missing two front teeth, and wearing dark clothing.

Armed Street Robbery
A group of teens were walking in the area of Santa Anita Avenue and Campus Drive at about 6:40 PM Monday evening when they were confronted by a male demanding to use a cell phone. One of the teens pulled out a phone and the suspect grabbed it. The suspect then displayed a weapon tucked in his waistband and demanded cash. The victims ran off and APD was called. The suspect was described as a male Hispanic, 20 years, 5-07, medium build, mustache, wearing a dark hoodie.

Tuesday Tip - Inviting Theft from YOUR Doorstep

Take a look at last years post on package theft HERE. It is that time of year again and gifts of all sizes and sorts are arriving on your porches. Take action to help prevent your doorstep from becoming the scene of a crime!

Tuesday Tip - Awareness and Avoidance

With two resdiential robberies having occurred in Arcadia in the last week, you may be thinking about how to do your best not to allow this to happen to you or your family. One of the best strategies is prevention. Be aware of your surroundings. Who is walking near you? What vehicles are parked nearby? Look around!

• Approaching your home, be aware of pedestrians and vehicles. Are there persons you don't know or vehicles that you don't recognize? If so, record their descriptions and drive on. Don't just pull in and park.
• "Follow home" robbery victims are targeted long before they arrive home. Be mindful of cash and large purchases while shopping. Watch for vehicles following you and making repeated turns behind you. If you feel you are being followed, drive to a busy, open location or the local police station. Keep your doors locked and call the police.
• While home, don't just open the door to a knock or bell! Ask who is at the door. If you have not scheduled an appointment, verify a service worker with a phone call before opening the door. Look for a legitimate uniform and service/delivery vehicle.
• Keep your home secure. Lock your doors and windows!
• Maintain your exterior lighting.
• When you leave your home, look around. Don't just walk away or drive off. Again, if you seen anyone or anything suspicious, call the police.
• See our previous post on "Being Safe at Home" for additional tips.

There is no perfect answer to crime prevention. However, your best defense is a proactive offense and being aware of what is happening around you at all times. Awareness and avoidance will certainly aide in your personal and family safety.