Crime Watch is a weekly series culled from the reports provided by the Santa Monica Police Department. These are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Tuesday, May 27, at 1 a.m.
Santa Monica officers were working routine patrol in the 1200 block of Idaho Avenue when they saw a suspicious vehicle drive south on 12th Street and then east on Idaho. Officers were patrolling that area in response to several car break-ins that have been occurring there. The officers stopped the vehicle for a broken tail light violation and found that the driver also did not have a current registration for the car. A warrant check revealed that the driver had an outstanding warrant. A search of the driver and his vehicle was conducted and the officer found burglary tools on him and in the car. He was booked for the burglary tools and the warrant. The suspect was identified as Ludving Mercado, 28, of Los Angeles.
Monday, May 26, at 11 p.m.
Officers responded to 530 Pico Blvd., the Le Meridian Delfina hotel, regarding a drunk person causing a disturbance by yelling at people. Officers were told by the caller that the person, who was drunk, was sitting outside of his hotel room without his pants on and was refusing to pay for his stay at the hotel. Officers found that he was talking nonsensical and incoherently and that he was drunk. He was arrested for drunk in public. The suspect was identified as Amereep Singh Johal, 36, of Santa Monica. Bail was set at $250.
Tuesday, May 20
Officers responded to a residence in the 800 block of 12th Street. The vicim responded that she had set up a clandestine camera in her house after noticing that she had been missing clothing and lingerie from her residence over the past five years. After coming back from a trip, the victim reported looking at the video and noticing that on May 17 the camera recorded a male in her bedroom with an empty bag. She recognized the man as a long-time, non-romantic friend. The victim watched as he rifled through her underwear drawer and put items in his bag and left. Detectives conducted a follow-up and arrested the suspect on this incident. They also found four other victims in which they suspect he burglarized for their underwear. The suspect was identified as Michael Hoffman, 42, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $50,000.
Monday, May 26, at 2:40 p.m.
Officers monitored a radio call of a woman that spat on someone in the parking structure located at 1502 Fourth St. Officers found the suspect in the 400 block of Broadway swinging a racket at people passing by. Officers were able to stop her in the 500 Block of Broadway and detained her. They met with the victim, who is a parking structure attendant, who told them that the victim spat on him while he was trying to stop pedestrian traffic for passing cars in and around his parking structure. The victim said that the woman walked out of the stopped crowd and spat on his face and then left. The parking attendant flagged down a nearby traffic services officer and reported the assault. The TSO reported the assault to police via her radio. The suspect was arrested for assault and assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect was identified as Cyrstal Lynn Rosenberger, 37, a transient. Bail was set at $30,000.
daniela@www.smdp.com
