On April 13 at approximately 4:08 p.m., Santa Monica police officers responding to an audible burglar alarm at Rustic Canyon wine bar and restaurant (1119 Wilshire Blvd.) saw a suspect, later identified as Felix Rivera, homeless, running from the location with a large trash bag.
After a short foot pursuit, during which Rivera dropped the bag, the officers detained the suspect and started an investigation.
Forced entry had been made into a storage container along the south side of the restaurant. The trash bag dropped by Rivera contained several bottles of wine, a cellphone and a pair of socks (possibly used by the suspect as gloves).
The owner of the business was located and he was able to identify the wine bottles as those taken from the storage container. Rivera was arrested for burglary. A search of Rivera uncovered a small amount of marijuana in his pockets.
Rivera, who is on probation, was transported to the Santa Monica Jail for booking and held without bail. Two additional suspects to the burglary, seen in surveillance footage, are still outstanding.
