Students Injured in Collision

Officers were called to the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Second Avenue at about 8:00 AM on report of three pedestrians struck by a vehicle. A vehicle travelling south on Second Avenue was making a left turn to eastbound Foothill Boulevard and struck three females walking north in the crosswalk. All three girls suffered minor injuries and were transported to local hospitals for treatment. The three girls were all middle school students walking to school. The cause of the collision is being investigated by Arcadia Police.

Third Parking Lot Robbery

Thieves targeted a female victim who was loading groceries in her trunk while parked in the lot of 99 Ranch Market for the third robbery in a week. The suspects vehicle pulled up behind the victim and the passenger suspect leaned out of the vehicle grabbing the victim's purse from her arm. The suspects dragged the victim about 30 feet as they drove off before she was able to break free from the purse. The victim suffered minor injuries in the incident but was unable to furnish a good description of the suspects. She did describe the suspect vehicle as a 1980-90's burgundy vehicle, possibly a Buick Century.

APD is investigating two other robberies occurring at this location where the suspect vehicle was described as being maroon or burgundy in color. The first occurred on January 20th and the second happened on Friday, January 22nd. Anyone with information is asked to call APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.

Good Weekend Activity Summary from Arcadia's Best

Arcadia's Best has a nice summary of the weekend activity for APD posted on their website. The activity included an injury pedestrian collision on Huntington Drive, multiple arrests for grant Theft Auto and other crimes, as well as information on a fatal crash on the IS 210 freeway which was handled by the California Highway Patrol.

Second Robbery in Parking Lot of 99 Ranch Market

Early Friday evening at about 6:20 PM (Jan 22nd) a female became the second robbery victim in three days in the parking lot of the 99 Ranch Market located in the 1300 block south Golden West. A burgundy 4-door sedan pulled along side the female while she walked in the parking lot toward her car. A male passenger leaned out and grabbed the victim's purse, forcing it away from the victim. The suspect vehicle then drove off exiting the lot to eastbound on Duarte Road. The victim described the suspect passenger as a male Hispanic, 30's, 5'-08"/165 lbs, wearing a black jacket.

The first robbery occurred on Wednesday at about 3;30 PM when a female victim was knocked to the ground and kicked by a suspect. The loss was also a purse in that robbery. In both robberies the suspect vehicle is described as a 4-door, maroon or burgundy in color.

Tuesday Tip - Dog Licenses

In the City of Arcadia, licenses are required for all dogs over the age of four months. They may be purchased on a yearly basis for a charge of $20 for non-spayed animals; $10 for spayed animals and $5 for senior citizens with spayed animals. Licenses may be obtained at the Cashier's Office at Arcadia City Hall or at the Pasadena Humane Society(PHS). Link to the PHS application form HERE


Prior to completing the application process, you may call PHS at (626) 792-7151 ext. 115 to verify that you are indeed in their service area and within the City of Arcadia. Residents who live in the unincorporated area of Arcadia are serviced by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. The Baldwin Park shelter is the local county facility and they can be reached at (626) 962-3577.

Downed Tree Damages Cars and Garage

A large tree went down in today's weather shortly before 3:00 PM in the 2000 block of Highland Oaks Drive. There were no injuries but the tree did fall on two vehicles and a portion of a residential garage causing damage. Arcadia City personnel were assessing damage late this afternoon. (Photo courtesy V. Whalen)

Robbery in Parking Lot of 99 Ranch Market

A woman was leaving the 99 Ranch Market located in the 1300 block of South Golden West at about 3:30 PM yesterday when she was grabbed from behind and pushed to the ground. A male suspect kicked her in the face and grabbed her purse, running off with a second suspect. The incident occurred as the woman was walking with groceries back to her vehicle parked in the parking lot.

The first suspect was described as a male Asian, 40's, 5'-06", clean shaven, short dark hair, wearing a purple and red jacket and black pants. The second suspect was only described as a male. A possible suspect vehicle was said to be a maroon colored, older 4 door, possibly a Nissan Sentra. Anyone with information is asked to call APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.

Help Deny Parole for Killer of LAPD Metro Officer Jim Pagliotti

APOA President Troy Hernandez authored the below letter addressed to the Parole Board to help in the fight to deny parole to the killer of Los Angeles Police Department Metro Officer Jim Pagliotti. A hearing is set for late February for Louis Belvin Jr. The APOA joins the LAPPL in asking for the public's help in keeping this killer behind bars. Please write to the Parole Board at the below address referencing your dissent toward the release of Belvin #H33133.



California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility & State Prison
900 Quebec Avenue
Corcoran, Ca 93212

Dear Parole Board Members:

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Arcadia Police Officers’ Association to express our voice and concern reference Louis Belvin’s (#H33133) parole eligibility. Over 30 years ago a valued life was viciously and uncaringly taken from this earth. That day, Monday, June 22, 1987, Police Officer III James H. Pagliotti made the ultimate surrender. Officer Pagliotti’s self-sacrificing actions to protect the citizens of the City of Los Angeles and his fellow officers will never be forgotten. In 1987 alone, there were 182 total line of duty deaths. Of the 182 deaths, 75 were from hostile gunfire. Mr. Belvin was responsible for 1 of those deaths. His actions on that horrific day were specific, evil, selfish and unforgivable.

It goes without saying that every Police Officer knows that he or she may not return home at night to see their family and friends. Please do not allow Mr. Belvin to make that thought become reality again for another Police Officer. We are asking that the board deny Mr. Belvin his right to commit felonious crimes once again and to protect the innocent citizens whom he would prey on.



Respectfully Submitted,


Det T. Hernandez
President, APOA

Theft Suspects Wanted

The two females pictured here have committed at least two distraction thefts at businesses in Arcadia over the last month. The women enter the store accompanied with young children, a male and a female. One suspect will distract the clerk or employee while the other suspect steals items from the sales counter and takes cash from the register.

The females are described as being in their mid 30's, 5'6"-5'7", 140-180 lbs, brown hair, possibly dyed blond. A possible vehicle associated with the pair is a dark colored Toyota pick-up truck.

Anyone with information is asked to call APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160. Refer case #'s 09-6854 or 10-0345.

Security Guard Arrested for Burglary

Officers arrived in the 600 block of West Duarte Road last Sunday night to meet with the victim of an auto burglary. During the investigation, a witness came forward and pointed out a parking lot security guard that was the possible suspect. Officers contacted the guard and found a purse and other evidence stolen in the auto burglary inside the guard's vehicle. A 46-year old male from Los Angeles was arrested and booked at APD on suspicion of auto burglary. The incident occurred shortly after 9:00 PM.

Tuesday Tip - Buyer Beware

Have you ever been approached in a mall or store parking lot when someone asks if you would like to buy a "home theatre system" or perhaps some jewelry? A would-be scam artist took it a bit further last week in Arcadia, walking through businesses offering to sell victims a "new" Apple iPhone and other Apple products. A quick thinking witness called the police and the suspect was arrested with several phony items. The suspect told officers that he purchased the known counterfeit items in Los Angeles, hoping to sell them for profit to unsuspecting victims.

This type of activity takes place not only via the Internet but also in person. Suspects will drive around with quantities of either stolen or sometimes counterfeit items and offer them at what seems like a "steal" of a price. Be leery of anyone who approaches you offering items for sale. Some knockoff items may look convincing. If you can't verify the legitimacy of an item and are not purchasing it from a reputable source, you really have no options once you are duped. Remember the old saying, if it seems to good to be true... Buyer Beware!

Suspect Arrested with Phony Apple Products

On Sunday afternoon, January 10th, at about 1:20 PM, a lone male suspect entered a business in the 1000 block of South Baldwin Avenue and offered to sell the employees an assortment of Apple iPhones and Nanos at a discounted price. One of the employees thought that this was suspicious and called APD. Officers arrived and detained the suspect who was in possession of over a half dozen counterfeit Apple products. A 29-year old Los Angeles man was taken into custody and booked at APD on felony charges.

This serves as a good warning and reminds us, "buyer beware." Look for the "Tuesday Tip" next week to cover this type of scam.

Purse & Phone Stolen in Street Robbery

A 20-year old female victim was walking home after exiting a bus when she was approached by a male suspect on foot demanding her purse. The suspect grabbed the victim's purse forcing it away from her, fleeing to an awaiting vehicle. The incident occurred on Saturday night, January 9th, at about 9:00 PM, near Tenth Avenue and Longden Avenue in Arcadia.

The suspect is described as a male, African American, 20's, short dark hair, 5'-05"/thin, dark complected, wearing dark clothing. The suspect vehicle was described as an older model 4-door, possibly silver, with a partial license plate similar to "527." The driver was also a male, African American, heavy set.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Arcadia Police Department at (626)574-5160.

Tuesday Tip - Census Bureau Scams

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Apparent Census Workers

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home. See HERE for tips on being safe in your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org

Arrest and Stolen Vehicle Recovery Result from ALPR Hit

Officers arrested a male driver and female passenger in a stolen vehicle yesterday after receiving a "hit" on a police unit equipped with an automated license plate reader (ALPR). The stolen vehicle alert came in while the unit was conducting patrol in the area of Live Oak and Tyler in South Arcadia at about 3:30 PM. Officers conducted a stop on the stolen car and took the duo into custody without incident. The vehicle had been stolen out of the LASD Temple Station area within the week prior. A 37 year old male resident of Los Angeles and a 47 year old female from Arcadia were booked at APD.

2009 Totals for APD

Calls for Service - 50,371

Formal Investigations - 7,092

Arrests - 1,417

Tuesday Tip - New Laws for 2010

There are a few new laws that will take effect in 2010 that you need to be aware of. A couple have to do with higher fees for drivers license and vehicle licenses, one law allows video screens in the drivers compartment if not visible to the driver, vehicle impoundment as public nuisance, a pilot program to require ignition interlock devices for DUI convictions, and making permanent the "slow down, move over" section in the California Vehicle Code. The Automobile Club of Southern California has posted the new laws in their News & Views section of their website. Take a look at the AAA site for more detail on these new laws.

Tragic End to Missing Person Case

Julius Tinley Jr. was reported missing to Arcadia Police over the New Years holiday by his family. Mr. Tinley was 81 years old and was last seen on New Years Eve. Shortly after midnight this morning, a California Highway Patrol Officer located Mr. Tinley's vehicle parked in a turnout on Highway 18, about 10 miles south of Big Bear. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department arrived thereafter, assisted in the investigation and contacted the Arcadia Police Department who dispatched an Officer and Detectives to the scene. Members of the SBSD Search and Rescue Unit discovered the victim, deceased, over 300 feet down the snow and ice covered slope from the turnout. SBSD helicopters assisted in recovering the victim. Foul play is not suspected and it appears that this was a tragic accident. The final cause of death will be determined by the Coroner's Division of SBSD. The victim's family said that Mr. Tinley loved the outdoors and visited the mountains often.


Thank you to the members of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, both sworn and volunteer, that assisted in this investigation. Mr. Tinley is pictured above along with members of the SBSD.

Best Wishes for the New Year

The APOA wishes everyone the best for the upcoming New Year. New Years is a time for celebrating with friends and family. Please remember to party and drink responsibly throughout the holiday. Don’t drink and drive!

Jan’s Towing offers a program called “Tipsy Tow” throughout the San Gabriel Valley. If you have been drinking and are unable to drive, Jan’s will dispatch a driver to take both you and your car home for free. Call Jan’s Towing at (626) 334-1383 for details.

Remember to report drunk drivers to your local police or dial 911 if you suspect someone of driving under the influence.

Enjoy the New Year and be safe!