In the early morning on Feb. 9, members of the Santa Monica Police Department Crime Impact Team, working in conjunction with L.A. County probation officers, completed a probation compliance check in the 1500 block of 16th Street.
During the check, a man matching the description of the targeted probationer was located in the backyard of the property, walking from the building’s trash bins and towards a bench.
Officers believed the subject was the probationer and that he might be trying to evade them and hide contraband, so he was detained for investigation. The subject, later identified as Raymond Richard Herrera, 26, of Inglewood, told the officers he was visiting the probationer.
The officers located a backpack in one of the trash cans and asked Herrera if it was his. Herrera initially denied it, but eventually admitted it was his backpack.
The bag contained bolt cutters, wire cutters, black gloves and an automotive key blank with some grooves notched into it — items that are recognized as tools carried by burglars.
Herrera, who is on probation, was arrested for possession of burglary tools and transported to Santa Monica jail for booking. Bail was set at $10,000.
Crime Watch is 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.
