Crime Watch is a weekly series culled from reports provided by the Santa Monica Police Department. These are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Wednesday, Dec. 18,
A security guard at an apartment complex under construction saw two suspects near an electrical control panel door holding some bolt cutters. The door had a pad lock on it and it appeared they were going to cut the lock. When he confronted them, the pair walked up some stairs to the ground level. The security guard followed them and saw four other suspects leaving with three trash cans on dollies filled with copper pipe. The guard followed them and got pictures of the suspects and a license plate. He made a police report and provided police with the photos. On Dec. 21, an Los Angeles Police officer found the vehicle using an automated license plate reader. The driver was arrested and held for questioning. Santa Monica Police officers found evidence in the vehicle linking the driver to the theft. He was placed under arrest for burglary. He was identified as Lawrence Edward Thomas, 35, of Gardena, Calif. His bail was set at $50,000.
Sunday, Dec. 22, at 7:24 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1200 block of the Third Street Promenade — Sephora — regarding a report of a shoplifter who just fled the store. Officers were able to locate and arrest the suspect in a nearby alley after being directed by store security. The suspect allegedly handed over $235 worth of merchandise that she did not pay for. The security guard told officers that he saw the suspect take several items from inside the store and place them in a tote bag. She then left without paying. When she was outside of the store the guard reached for the tote bag, but the suspect pulled it away and ran. She was found to be on probation for petty theft. The suspect was identified as Lilian Marina Carranza, 39, of Los Angeles. She was booked for robbery and a probation violation. Her bail was set at $50,000.
Sunday, Dec. 22, at 2:40 p.m.,
Officers were on patrol along the 500 block of Colorado Avenue when they noticed two people sitting on some steps. They recognized one of them and knew that she was on felony probation for narcotics. They approached the two and noticed the strong odor of marijuana around them and a glass pipe containing the drug on the woman's lap. She was asked if she had any other drugs on her, to which she replied "no." She told officers they could search her. So they did and found a rolled up dollar bill with methamphetamine inside. The woman was placed under arrest for possession of drugs. She was identified as Daunielle Antoinett Coleman, 25, a transient. Her bail was set at $10,000.
Friday, Dec. 20, at 12:30 p.m.,
Officers made contact with a man who appeared to be really drunk near the corner of Seventh Street and Olympic Boulevard. While talking with him they determined he was unable to care for himself and placed him under arrest for public intoxication. During a search officers said they found 13 clear plastic baggies that contained various amounts of methamphetamine. Officers believed the man was trying to sell the drug. They placed him under arrest for being drunk in public, possession of narcotics for sale and a misdemeanor warrant. He was identified as Julius Edward London, 65, a transient. His bail was set at $30,611.
Thursday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1500 block of Broadway after a witness reported to the police that they saw a suspicious person leaving a garage concealing an unknown item in his jacket. Officers found a suspect matching the description of the suspicious person in a nearby alley riding a bicycle. He was also riding it without a light during nighttime, a violation. Officers stopped him and asked him if he would consent to a search. He said he would. The search revealed several items that could be used in a burglary. They also found a woman's necklace and some cocaine. The witness was transported to the scene and identified the suspect as the one who was seen leaving the garage. Since he had no business being there police placed him under arrest for probable cause burglary and drug possession. While at the jail, police searched him further and said he was in possession of meth and heroin. He was ultimately booked for burglary, possession of drugs, grand theft, possession of burglary tools, a warrant and for riding the bike without a light. He was identified as Mario Rojas Torres, 60, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $57,500.
Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 12:30 p.m.,
A harbor guard noticed that the SMPD boat Monica 1 was moored improperly adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier. That caused the boat's bow to strike a portion of the pier. Thinking that was strange, police viewed surveillance footage from the pier, which showed a suspect walking down a catwalk toward the boat in violation of the "no trespassing" signs. The woman in the video was then seen pulling the boat closer to the pier, causing it to strike the landmark. Officers were able to identify the woman from the video and later found her near Barnard and Neilson ways. They placed her under arrest after she allegedly admitted to the vandalism. Damage to the boat was estimated at over $500. The suspect was identified as Marta Draculi, 42, a transient. She was booked for vandalism. Her bail was set at $20,000.
editor@www.smdp.com
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.
