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.
Sunday, May 11, at 4:35 p.m.
Santa Monica officers responded to Brookstone, 1301 Third Street Promenade, regarding a radio call of a male sitting in the doorway, possibly intoxicated, who tried to grab two teenagers, who were no longer in the area. When officers arrived, the suspect was seen inside the store laying on a display bed for several minutes and then sitting in a massage chair. When officers asked him for identification, the subject refused to provide it because he felt that he was doing nothing wrong. Officers spoke to the manager who wanted the subject out of the store and if he refused, the manager wanted a charge for trespassing. Officers asked the male to leave the store, but he refused to do so. He was arrested for trespassing and Interfering with a business. He was identified as Douglas Lee McGowen, 37. Bail was set at $5,000
Monday, May 12, at 1 a.m.
Officers responded to the 1500 block of Palisades Park regarding someone lighting several trashcans on fire. The suspect was seen by a witness putting palm fronds and other items into the trashcans as fuel for the fire. As officers approached they noted that there were seven trash cans on fire and the suspect was standing next to one with his hands inside one of the burning, smoldering trash cans. The suspect was detained and officers used a fire extinguisher to put out the fires with the assistance of the Santa Monica Fire Department. The witness identified the suspect to the police as the person whom he had seen starting the fires. The suspect was arrested for arson and park closure. He was identified as Mike Francis Gilbert, 67, a transient. Bail was set at $50,000.
Saturday, May 10, at 1:37 p.m.
Officers responded to The Gap, 1355 Third Street Promenade, regarding a theft suspect that was being detained by loss prevention employees. When the officers arrived, employees told them they watched the suspect via closed circuit television walk around the store concealing men's clothing items in his backpack and a shopping bag. The suspect then walked past several open and manned cash registers and exited the store without paying for the items. He was detained outside the store and brought to the office until police arrived. He was found with $118.12 worth of merchandise. The suspect was identified as Eric Shaun Oliver, 47, of Los Angeles. Bail was set at $20,000.
Saturday, May 10, at 2:54 a.m.
An officer responded to the AM/PM market, 332 Pico Blvd., regarding a 911 call from a male subject who was slurring his words and stating his explosive had been stolen and he wanted to contact the FBI. When the officer made contact, the subject was unable to answer questions, had slurred speech, watery eyes, and smelled of an alcoholic beverage. He was unable to stand on his own and needed officer assistance to avoid falling. He was arrested for public intoxication. The suspect was identified as William Michael Cocoran, 55, a transient. Bail was set at $250.
Thursday, May 8
Officers responded to the front lobby of the Santa Monica Police Department regarding a domestic violence investigation. The victim told the officers she got into an argument with her husband. The husband called her vulgar names and followed her around the apartment, gesturing like he was going to hit her. The husband placed his hand over the victim's mouth to prevent her from talking. The victim bit down on his hand, causing her front tooth to come out. The victim also had a scratch mark on her neck. At the time, officers were unable to locate the husband. On May 10, officers went to the suspect's house and served the husband with a temporary restraining order at his residence and arrested him for spousal abuse. The suspect was identified as Riza Devrim Karaogla, 38, of Santa Monica. Bail was set at $50,000.
