Crime Watch is a weekly series 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.
Saturday, Aug. 3, at 10:20 a.m.,
Santa Monica Police officers responded to the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Michigan Avenue regarding a severely intoxicated woman. When officers arrived they made contact with the woman, whom they recognized as a chronic inebriate. Officers said the woman was drunk from drinking mouthwash. She is known for walking into various stores and stealing mouthwash to get drunk. Officers said they found on her a bottle of Vons brand mouthwash. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Officers went to the Vons at Broadway and Lincoln Boulevard and looked at security camera footage, which captured the suspect stealing the mouthwash. Based on the evidence, officers placed her under arrest for burglary. The suspect was identified as Julie Dyer, 47, of Santa Monica. Her bail was set at $20,000.
Sunday, Aug. 4, at 4:50 p.m.,
Officers responded to the Denny's located at 1560 Lincoln Blvd. regarding two guys fighting in the parking lot. When officers arrived they detained both men. One of them was an employee at the nearby Vons. The second was allegedly a shoplifter who the employee followed after he saw the man walk out of the grocery store with a Gatorade and some beer. When the employee confronted the man, a fight broke out. The employee allegedly struck the suspect in self defense. Officers viewed security camera footage and saw the suspect stealing. They placed him under arrest for burglary. He was identified as Derek Miller, 28, a transient. His bail was set at $20,000.
Saturday, Aug. 3, at 12:17 a.m.,
Officers were on patrol near the corner of Fourth Street and Pier Avenue when they saw a man on a bike fail to stop for a stop sign. Officers pulled the bicyclist over and learned that he had a warrant for a parole violation. He was placed under arrest and during a search of his belongings officers said they found methamphetamine and a glass pipe. Officers also rolled back to his residence and conducted a parole search. They said they found several gift cards that were later determined to be stolen. The suspect was booked for possession of a controlled substance, receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and the parole violation. He was identified as Christian Naulin, 48, of Santa Monica. No bail was set.
Friday, Aug. 2, at 2:30 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1800 block of Stewart Street regarding a report of a vandal in the vicinity. When officers arrived they saw the suspect being followed by a security guard. The suspect had allegedly vandalized a property the security guard was being paid to protect. Officers detained the suspect and spoke with several witnesses who said the suspect was seen on security cameras kneeling by a natural gas fixture pulling out cables. When confronted, she told security that she was a city employee but she had no identification. She was eventually arrested for vandalism. She was identified as Julie Ann Chen, 32, of Santa Monica. Her bail was set at $5,0000.
Friday, Aug. 2, at 2:58 p.m.,
Officers responded to the food court at Santa Monica Place regarding a manager of one of the restaurants who was allegedly stealing. When officers arrived they spoke with an investigator with the company who said that the store was missing several deposits totaling approximately $10,000. He also told officers that the manager had confessed to taking the money because he had a gambling problem. When officers questioned the manager, he allegedly admitted to the crime. The man said he "got in over his head" and was using the store's deposits to gamble, police said. Officers learned that he was the only employee with access to the safe and placed him under arrest for embezzlement. He was identified as Phanomkone Mounydong, 39, of Los Angeles. His bail was set at $20,000.
Tuesday, July 30, at 4:20 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1800 block of Seventh Street regarding a report of a residential burglary. When officers arrived they spoke with the victim, who said someone forced their way into the home and stole money, jewelry and an iPad. Detectives were able to identify a suspect and drove to the area of Fairfax Avenue and Whitworth Drive in Los Angeles. There they apprehended the suspect and after detaining him were able to locate most of the victim's stolen property, along with a burglary tool. Police placed the suspect under arrest for possession of stolen property and burglary. He was identified as Joe Wood Gillie, Jr., 67, a transient. His bail was set at $21,000.
Monday, July 29, at 9:34 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 2400 block of Main Street — The Galley — regarding a patron who was refusing to pay his bill. When officers arrived they spoke with management and were advised that the suspect entered the restaurant, ordered a porterhouse steak and wine and upon being given the bill he told the waitress he did not have the money to pay. He was placed under arrest for defrauding an innkeeper. He was identified as Kris Don Parker, 42, a transient. His bail was set at $500.
editor@www.smdp.com
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.