Police Blotter: Man Brandishes a Gun at Restaurant Patrons

From Oct. 2-8, the responded to 927 calls for service, 132 of which required formal investigations. The following is a summary report of the major incidents handled by the Department during this period.

Oct. 2:

Between Sept. 29 at 8 a.m., and Oct. 2 at 11 a.m., a theft occurred in the 100 block of Genoa Street. The suspect(s) removed the lock to a storage shed located in the carport area of the apartment complex and stole two rolls of electrical wire.

At about 1:08 a.m., officers responded to the Tea House at 1108 South Baldwin Avenue regarding a man with a gun. The 28-year-old suspect had engaged in a verbal altercation with a group of men earlier in the day and came looking for them at the Tea House. He had a loaded firearm and brandished it at customers. Police arrested the suspect for carrying and brandishing a loaded weapon.

Oct. 3:

Between Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. and Oct. 3 at 7:30 a.m., suspect(s) lit a trash dumpster on fire. Burnt remnants were discovered outside of at 19 La Porte Street.

Shortly after 11 p.m., officers observed an unoccupied vehicle parked to the front of the at 225 Colorado Place. Through a records check, police learned that the car had been reported stolen on Oct. 2. Officers put the vehicle on surveillance, and at about 11:23 p.m., two men entered the vehicle and drove out of the parking lot. Officers stopped the suspects. The driver fled on foot and escaped. However, officers detained the 38-year-old passenger and took him into custody for an outstanding warrant and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. The driver remains on the loose and the Detective Bureau is conducting a follow-up investigation.

Oct. 4:

A residential burglary occurred in the 200 block of Laurel Avenue between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The resident returned home to find her bedroom had been ransacked and clothing had been taken. The resident suspected a friend was responsible. An investigation revealed the 17-year-old friend had the stolen property in her possession. Officers booked the teen at the Arcadia City Jail for residential burglary and additional charges. 

At about 1 p.m., officers responded to regarding a theft of an iPhone and a wallet with cash. An investigation revealed three students, all age 16, had stolen the property. Officers recovered the cash and iPhone and placed the three teens under arrest for petty theft.

Oct. 5:

Between 8:30 p.m. and 9:05 p.m., an auto burglary occurred in the 100 block of North First Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by smashing the front driver's side window. Once inside, the suspect(s) stole a purse and wallet.

At approximately 5:13 p.m., the manager of Halloween City at the reported a suspicious circumstance. The manager told officers that at about 4:42 p.m., an armored car guard had attempted to pick up a deposit from the store. However, the store does not use an armored car service for their deposits. The subject was described as a Hispanic male in his late 20's, 6-foot-2, 240 lbs., with a muscular build and clean shaven, black spiky hair. He had a small piercing below his bottom lip and wore a charcoal gray security uniform with the pants tucked into the boots and a pancake-style leather holster with a black semi-automatic handgun. 

Oct. 6:

A residential burglary occurred in the 400 block of East Duarte Road between 9:40 a.m. and 9:52 a.m. While in her bedroom, the resident heard noises in the kitchen. The sliding glass door to her bedroom opened and a 32-year-old man came inside. The resident then told the suspect the police were on their way and the suspect fled the location. Officers located and detained a subject that matched the description provided by the resident. After the resident identified him, officers took the suspect into custody for residential burglary.

Sometime between Sept. 22 and Oct. 6, a vehicle theft occurred in the 800 block of Arcadia Avenue. Suspect(s) stole a 2009, white, Toyota Sienna parked at the location.

Oct. 7:

Between Oct. 6 at 11:30 a.m., and Oct. 7 at 8 a.m., a residential burglary occurred in the 200 block of East Colorado Boulevard. The home was undergoing fumigation and the suspect(s) cut the fumigation tent, as well as numerous window screens, to enter the home. Once inside, the suspect(s) stole several electronics, a water cooler and a briefcase. 

Units responded to the 400 block of California Street around 8:23 p.m., regarding an armed robbery that had just occurred. A woman was walking from her vehicle to her apartment complex when a 5-foot-8 Hispanic man, 20- 30-years old, with a  thin build and wearing a dark jacket, approached her and demanded her purse at gunpoint. He grabbed her purse and fled in a tan pick-up truck with an open bed. Officers searched the area, but could not locate the suspect or the vehicle.

Oct. 8:

At about 5:03 a.m., officers responded to McDonalds at 143 East Foothill Boulevard regarding a vandalism report. Witnesses saw two men breaking the windshield of a vehicle parked at the restaurant. Officers located and detained two subjects fitting the description. Witnesses identified the suspects,  33-year-old and a 21-year-old man. Officers placed then under arrest for vandalism. The younger suspect was also placed under arrest for drunk in public.

At about 12 p.m., loss prevention personnel from at the Westfield Santa Anita Mall told police they had detained a woman for theft. The suspect hid merchandise in her purse and left the store without paying. Officers placed the 26-year-old under arrest for commercial burglary.