Significant Sentences Handed Down Today

Two former Arcadia residents were sentenced today in unrelated cases stemming from incidents in 2006 and 2008. Robert R. Snyder, 28 years old, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted in 2009 on one count of attempted murder and other felony charges in a San Fernando courtroom today. Snyder became involved in a dispute near Santa Anita Avenue and Live Oak Avenue in February 2006. With his young daughter in the car, Snyder fired two rounds from a handgun toward the other party in the dispute. Snyder missed his intended target but instead struck an innocent bystander. Snyder was taken into custody the following day after a short vehicle pursuit.

In 2008, Arcadia Officers investigated a sexual molestation case involving Guillermo Villasenor, 53 years old. Villasenor was also convicted in late 2009 on multiple felony counts including sexual penetration and oral copulation of a minor under 10 years old. Villasenor was sentenced in the same San Fernando courtroom today, receiving a 23 years to life sentence.

Both of these cases involved lengthy investigations and hard work on the part of many APD and allied agency personnel. Great examples of diligent efforts on the part of all involved and closure for the victims and their families.

Community Crime Prevention Meeting

Join Arcadia Police Chief Bob Sanderson at the Arcadia Public Library on Thursday evening, March 4, 2010, at 6:30 pm, for an informative session on crime prevention tips for residents as well as crime trend information for Arcadia.  Sgt. Brian Ortiz who supervises APD's Community and Youth Services Office will be speaking with Chief Sanderson.  All residents are invited to attend the meeting for an evening of learning and conversation with your Police Department.

Community Crime Prevention Meeting

at the Arcadia Public Library

20 W. Duarte Rd.

Thursday, March 4th

6:30 pm

Weekly Tip - Bike Arcadia

Did you know that the City of Arcadia has over 28 miles in suggested bicycle riding loops? The different loops tour the City and highlight our parks and neighborhoods. You can download the City of Arcadia brochure, Bicycling in Arcadia, HERE. The brochure offers loop maps, safety tips, rules of the road, and information from the MTA on public transportation and bicycles. The State of California Department of Motor Vehicles website also is a good resource with links to bicycle laws and tips.

Before you ride, visit the Arcadia Police Department and register your bicycles. If you are an Arcadia resident, we will register your bike and record the serial number for free. Should your bicycle ever be stolen, this greatly increases the chances of recovery and makes entering the proper information in statewide database much easier. Many bicycles are booked into property each year that are never able to be returned to an owner. Don't let this be your bicycle that is sold at auction.

Santa Anita Paving Project

Residents and commuters will be inconvenienced by roadway improvements on Santa Anita Avene, Foothill Boulevard to the north City limits through Friday, March 5, 2010. Construction began yesterday with pavement grinding and intermittent road closures. Efforts will be made to coordinate with Highland Oaks School and rush hour traffic; however, we encourage you to use alternate routes if possible during this time. Highland Oaks Drive, Baldwin Avenue, and Michillinda Avenue are open for north-south traffic. Closures and delays will vary throughout the two week period. Please be patient and plan for additional time in your commute.

Weekend Vehicle Burglaries

Starting overnight last Thursday, thieves targeted a dozen vehicles for auto burglary in Arcadia over the weekend. It began on Friday with five (5) victims reporting window smash burglaries in the 900 block of West Huntington Drive that occurred overnight Thursday. Five (5) additional cars were targeted similarly in the area of Gloria Road, Hampton Road, and Arbolada Drive in the north end of town on Saturday night. Two (2) reports came in on Monday morning having occurred overnight Sunday on Country Oaks Drive near First Avenue. In the latter two burglaries the mode of entry was not determined.

Loss in the weekend vehicle burglaries ranged from tools and GPS units to wallets and cash. Please remember to not keep valuables in your vehicles. Objects in plain sight are targets for thieves. It is unknown whether or not vehicle alarms were activated in any of the burglaries but this is a good reminder to not be complacent when hearing a car alarm sounding. Take a look and report any suspicious persons to the police.  Anyone with information on the vehicle burglaries or any additional victims are urged to call APD at (626) 574-5150.

Drivers License and Safety Belt Checkpoint

Personnel from the Arcadia Police Department Traffic Bureau conducted a vehicle checkpoint last night targeting unlicensed drivers and safety belt compliance.  Traffic Officers were assisted by 4 Reserve Police Officers, several Volunteers in Patrol (VIPS), APD Police Cadets and Explorers, as well as Jan's Towing.  The checkpoint was set-up on Santa Anita Avenue, south of Huntington Drive and ran from about 6:00-10:00 pm.

Here are some quick stats from the event:

• 1,400 vehicles passed through the checkpoint
• 100 vehicles and occupants were screened at the secondary inspection
• 10 misdemeanor arrests or citations for unlicensed, suspended or revoked licenses
• 2 warrant related arrests
• 9 vehicle storage or impounds
• 35 infraction citations for no license in possession along with 14 other citations for miscellaneous violations

"I like my new City already!"

While conducting residential burglary suppression today, one of our Detectives came across circumstances at a house that lead to Officers contacting the resident. After explaining the reason for the contact, I overheard the resident tell the Detective, “I like my new City already!” She went on to thank him for taking the time stop, call for additional units and make sure that all was well at the home. The resident had recently moved in to the home.

Not only was it great to find that all was well at the residence, but the resident’s obvious pleasure with our actions reassures us that our personnel are “Making a Difference” in our community.