Weekly Activity Highlights for March 12 - 18, 2017 and March 19 - 25, 2017

Due to a website issue, we were unable to post the link to the Weekly Activity last week. Here are links for both weeks.

March 12 - 18, 2017 (https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=9402)

March 19 - 25, 2017 (https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=9480)

Trending in Arrests/Crime

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Recently, on a Friday evening, a man was sitting on a bus bench near Baldwin Avenue and Camino Real Avenue. A black Ford Crown Victoria pulled up behind the man through an adjacent business parking lot with the headlights shining in his direction. Two subjects got out of the Crown Vic, shining a spot light from the passenger side at the man. The two subjects approached the man telling him they were with Arcadia PD and to stand up. The subjects lifted their windbreakers revealing some sort of badge on their waists. One subject began to "pat-down" the man and removed his wallet and cell phone. The subject looked through the wallet but as an unknown person walked by, the subjects ran back to the Crown Vic, leaving the wallet and phone. There was no money in the wallet at the time. The subjects left and were last seen driving west on Huntington Drive.

The subjects were both described as male Asians, one 25-30 years old and the other 19-20 years old. Both had short dark hair and medium builds, wearing dark clothing and windbreakers. No weapons were seen, although the subjects told the victim they had weapons. 

We have had no other reports similar to this, and although not arrests have been made, it is important to share the event with the community for awareness.

If our officers are in plain clothes conducting enforcement, they will be readily identifiable, most often wearing marked raid jackets, shirts, or vests, and if not immediately involved with police action, will show their identification. All of our unmarked police vehicles are also equipped with blue/red emergency lighting.

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Weekly Tip - Dog License and Leash Law Info

Dog Licenses

 

Licenses are required for all dogs over the age of four months, along with proof of rabies vaccination. If the dog is spayed, proof of sterilization is also required when obtaining the first license.

 

Licenses may be purchased on a yearly basis at the Cashier's Office at Arcadia City Hall located at 240 W. Huntington Drive or at the Pasadena Humane Society. 

The following are current City of Arcadia license fees:

 

• $30 for non-spayed animals
• $15 for spayed animals
• $15 for senior citizens with non-spayed animals
• $7.50 for senior citizens with spayed animals

License forms can be downloaded HERE.

 

Leash Law

 

When on public property, all dogs must be kept on a leash not exceeding six feet in length. In addition, when walking a dog on a public street or in a public park, you are responsible for the prompt and sanitary disposal of any feces left by the dog.

 

Animal control services in the City of Arcadia are provided by the Pasadena Humane Society. Additional services available to animals of Arcadia residents include: affordable spay/neuter services, vaccination clinics, microchipping, pet adoption, dog daycare, dog boarding, dog behavior and training classes; and humane education classes. Please contact their offices by calling 626- 792-7151.

Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA

361 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105

Fax 626-792-3810

http://www.phsspca.org

https://www.facebook.com/pasadenahumane

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Drug arrests are not uncommon and this past week saw a batch of different events involving possession or under the influence of drug arrests. One event of interest involved a group of four persons who were driving in West Arcadia Tuesday morning at 3:00 am with no headlights on. An officer stopped the van they were in for vehicle code violations and contacted all four subjects. Two of the subjects were in the rear of the van behind a cage, one lying on the floor and another seated in a folding chair. Ultimately, all four subjects were removed from the van and during the officers' investigation, a quantity of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana was found during a search. Other items such as a scale, syringe, and currency was also found.

Jason M. Giannini, 27-year-old male from Tujunga, Sevan Asatoorian, 33-year-old male from Glendale, and Juan C. Fuentes Jr, 27-year-old male from Tujunga, were all arrested and booked on felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail. Mark S. Zaba, 28-year-old male from Tujunga was also arrested on a misdemeanor charge. Booking photos were not available at time of posting.

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Weekly Tip - Child Seat Safety

During the week of March 26, 2017 through April 1, 2017, the Arcadia Police Department Traffic Bureau will be conducting directed enforcement focused on child seat safety. During this week officers will be targeting drivers who allow children to ride in vehicles while not properly restrained.

Education is a significant deterrence when it comes to child seat safety. Educational materials will be handed out to area schools and officers will be available for questions regarding child seat safety.

Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death for children and young adults. In 2014, over 6000 children under 14 were killed or seriously injured as a result of vehicle crashes in California. Sixty-three percent of children who died were unrestrained.

California law requires children to ride in a safety seat or booster, in the back seat, until they are at least eight years old. However, most children need a booster seat for proper belt fit until they are 10 to 12 years old. SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. recommends that children ride in the back seat, which is 40% safer than the front, until they are old enough to learn to drive. For more information on child passenger safety, visit www.nhtsa.gov.

• Child Seat Safety Flyer
• The Perfect Gift - Your Child's Safety (Color Brochure)

Congrats and Welcome to Our Newest Police Officer

Congrats are in order to Officer Sergio Machado. Sergio graduated from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Academy Class #419 last Friday and was named Honor Recruit for his class! This award is given to the recruit who achieves the highest numerical average based upon leadership qualities, academics, marksmanship, and physical performance throughout the training period. Sergio served in the US Army for a decade, no doubt playing a part in this well earned honor. Sergio is pictured with Sheriff Jim McDonnell and Chief Bob Guthrie. We are honored to welcome Sergio to the APD family!

This St. Patrick's Day, Plan Before You Party!

Remember: Impaired Driving, Drugs and Alcohol can Kill

St. Patrick’s Day has become one of the nation’s favorite holidays to celebrate and party. Unfortunately, too many people are taking to the roads after drinking, making the holiday one of our most dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 252 people lost their lives in drunk driving-related crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period from 2011-2015. More than a fourth of them were killed in drunk driving crashes that occurred in the early morning, post-party hours (midnight to 5:59 a.m.). 

That’s why the Arcadia Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety are teaming up to reach all drivers with an important life-saving message and warning: Don’t Drive Impaired by Drugs or Alcohol.

The Arcadia Police Department will deploy additional officers on special DUI Saturation Patrols to stop and arrest drivers showing signs of alcohol or drug impairment. In addition to this St Patrick’s Day enforcement effort, all police, sheriff and the CHP will be on heightened alert ready to stop and arrest any impaired driver throughout the long weekend.

If you plan to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, follow these tips to stay safe:

●       Before celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year, decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive. You can’t do both.  “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving”

●       If you’re planning on driving, commit to staying sober. If you’ve been out drinking and then get behind the wheel, you run the risk of causing a crash or getting arrested for a DUI.

●       Drugs such as many prescription medications, marijuana or illicit drugs can also lead to impairment and unsafe driving, leading to a DUI. When mixed with even a small amount of alcohol the affects can be compounded.

●       If you have been drinking, call a taxi or sober friend or family member, or use public transportation. You can download the Designated Driver VIP free mobile app, “DDVIP,” for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more.  The feature-packed app even has social media tie-ins and even a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.

●       Help those around you be responsible, too. Walking while impaired can also be deadly, as lack of attention could put you at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. If someone you know is impaired by alcohol or drugs, do not let them get behind the wheel and help them find a sober ride home. 

This enforcement effort is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who reminds everyone to be alert and ‘Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911’ if you see a dangerous driver call immediately!

Robert T. Guthrie

Chief of Police

By: Kollin Cieadlo

Traffic Sergeant

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Bait package arrest again leads to much more than a parcel theft. Last Thursday morning, officers were alerted to a GPS enabled bait package being taken and quickly located the suspect vehicle in the 300 block of West Duarte Road in Monrovia. Officers tried to stop the suspect vehicle, a small U-Haul box truck, but the driver fled. Officers pursued the vehicle on streets and the 210 freeway, discontinuing the pursuit due to the driver's dangerous actions. At one point, the driver used the truck to collide with and push another vehicle out of the way in order to get around the other vehicle. Dispatchers continued to monitor the GPS location of the bait package, ending up in the City of Azusa. 

With the assistance of the Foothill Air Support Team (FAST), officers from Azusa PD were able to locate and detain both the male driver and a female passenger after they fled from the U-Haul truck, abandoning it in a parking lot in Azusa.

During the investigation, we learned the U-Haul truck had been stolen in the City of Pomona the evening prior to this incident. Inside the truck officers found a bicycle and other evidence taken in an overnight commercial burglary in the City of Monrovia, along with stolen bait package.

Alan G. Alamillo, 39-year-old male from La Verne, and Ilena M. Rutledge, 22-year-old female from Montclair, were arrested and booked on multiple felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail. Alamillo is also believed to be involved in the commercial burglary of a cell phone store in Arcadia back in January.

(Alan G. Alamillo / Ilena M. Rutledge)

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 5 - 11, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=9334

Weekly Tip - Enjoy a Safe St. Patrick's Day!

On a holiday like St. Patrick's Day, there is no doubt that many folks will be celebrating long into the night. The Arcadia Police Department encourages everyone to party responsibly and to not drink and drive. Here are some quick statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA):

Every day, 32 people in the United States die, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 45 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion.

Here are a few tips to avoid becoming a DUI statistic:

• Designate a non-impaired driver to take you home or pick you up

• Celebrate at home and stay there

• Be a good host, offer those who have been drinking a place to spend the night

• Call a taxi

• Don't ignore the problem. If you are with someone who is intoxicated, don't let them drive. If you see someone attempting to drive that is under the influence, call the police. Stop the problem before it begins.

Don't become or cause a DUI statistic! Don't become an unwilling passenger in a police unit! Be responsible, Don't Drink and Drive!

Spring Forward 1-Hour Saturday Night

Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 12, 2017, at 2:00 a.m. Don't forget to move your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!

Dare to Prepare - AAA Pre-Permit Teen Driver Safety Workshop

Dare to Prepare is a FREE workshop for teens (14-15 yrs) and their parents. Information will be provided on obtaining a permit and driver's license, along with other tools, tips, and useful information on the learning to drive process. Visit AAA.com/safety4teens to sign-up!

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. This past Saturday night to Sunday morning saw a cluster of thefts from unlocked vehicles in the Village area of town off Michillinda Avenue. A couple of the vehicles were reportedly locked, but there was no forced entry found by officers. Cash, credit/debit cards, and a camera were among some of the items taken in the thefts. At least 7 cars were gone through.

Officers recalled detaining a male subject for a similar theft within the last few months in close proximity to this batch of crimes. The subject lives nearby in the unincorporated County area. The officers went to this subject's home and spoke with him, ultimately finding a debit card taken in one of the theft cases from overnight. The subject was arrested and booked on felony charges. However, when the case was presented for filing, the District Attorney's Office felt there was insufficient evidence to proceed at this time and the subject was released. This is not uncommon and means our Investigators will conduct additional follow-up along with submitting physical evidence for forensic examination before presenting the case again. Time restraints do not always allow such investigation before cases are initially presented.

These theft events serve as a good reminder to always remove items of value from your cars and be sure to secure and lock them, even while parked in your driveway or garage. Hide It, Lock It, Keep It!

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Weekly Activity Highlights for February 26 - March 4, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=9304

Weekly Tip - Install Your License Plates

California law requires all registered vehicles that were issued two license plates, properly display both plates on the vehicle. Basically, all street legal cars are required to have two plates. Many times, vehicles may be purchased from dealerships that do not install a front license plate mount to the vehicle. This is not an excuse for failing to properly display and mount the license plate. A driver may be stopped and cited for not having license plates properly displayed.  Some communities, like Arcadia, issue parking citations to vehicles that are parked without plates properly affixed. Simply having the plate in your car or tossing it on the dash board does not suffice.

Please install your license plates according to CVC 5200 and CVC 5201.  The law was modified in 2011 to also require the plates be mounted so that the characters are upright and display from left to right.  Take a look at the links provided for specific language from the California Vehicle Code. 

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. This past week, our bait program helped nab 7 folks in three separate events for felony theft incidents, including both the bait bikes and packages. One case is described below:

About 1:30 a.m. last Sunday morning, a bait package was taken from a front porch in the 300 block of West Longden Avenue. Officers quickly located the suspects and vehicle still in the area. During the investigation the bait package was found inside the suspect vehicle, along with stolen mail from multiple nearby locations in Arcadia. All four occupants were arrested.

Oscar L. Juarez, 32-year-old male from La Puente, Krista E. Moreno, 32-year-old female from El Monte, Veronica Rendon, 22-year-old female from La Puente, and Noah F. Sargent, 20-year-old male from Whittier were all arrested and booked on felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail. Two of the arrestees are on Post-Release (County-Level) Community Supervision (PRCS).

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Weekly Activity Highlights for February 19 - 25, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=9258

Weekly Tip - APD Social Media Not Monitored 24/7

Although the Arcadia Police Department's Social Media Team is very diligent about monitoring our various social media platforms, the sites are not monitored 24/7. In the event you have an emergency, immediately dial 911. If you wish to report a crime or have questions requiring immediate assistance, please use our business line at 626.574.5150. We do enjoy engaging with the community through social media and will always work to reply in a timely manner when possible.