On June 3 at approximately 11:45 p.m., Santa Monica police officers were on uniformed bike patrol in the 1700 block of Ocean Front Walk when flagged by an employee of a local bicycle shop who stated that two suspects on foot had stolen his tip jar.
The victim stated that he was working at the counter when both suspects approached the counter and attempted to start riding a Segway. The suspects became upset when the victim told them the rental price.
One suspect, later identified as Bernard Guzman, 27, started to yell profanities and disrupt the business. Guzman then grabbed the tip jar and stated, “I am taking this.” The suspect opened the tip jar, removed the cash and fled southbound on foot.
The victim accompanied officers to scan the area, and Guzman was located in the 2600 block of Ocean Front Walk.
He was taken into custody and booked on charges of robbery, resisting/delaying a peace officer and assault on a peace officer and an outstanding warrant. Bail was set at $125,000.
Note: 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.
