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.
Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 6:50 p.m.,
Santa Monica police officers were checking on a property in the 2300 block of Wilshire Boulevard after the owner told police that a man had been sleeping in the employee parking lot and employees were concerned they may run over him since he slept close to cars. Officers contacted the suspect and advised him that he could not sleep in the lot. Officers also made arrangements for the suspect to meet with a social worker the next day at 10 a.m. The suspect did not show up, police said. A few days later officers located the suspect in the lot again. The suspect was allegedly lying down on a mattress. He was also inside of a sleeping bag. Officers arrested the suspect, Robert Dibartolo, 58, for trespassing. His bail was set at $1,000.
Thursday, Nov. 18, at 5:55 p.m.,
Officers received a radio call regarding a disturbance in the 600 block of Wilshire Boulevard (7-Eleven). When officers arrived, the disturbance was over. As officers left the location, they observed a subject lying in an adjacent alley. The subject was blocking a portion of the roadway. Officers approached the subject and tapped him on the foot and advised him to get up. Officers attempted numerous times to wake up the man but had no luck. Finally, the man woke up on his own. He stood up and allegedly attempted to strike an officer with a closed fist. Officers took the suspect, identified as Mark Johnson, 48, a transient, into custody and he was booked for assaulting a peace officer. His bail was set at $20,000.
Friday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m.,
Officers were on routine patrol in the area of 16th Street and Delaware Avenue when they saw someone removing recyclables from a blue bin owned by City Hall. Recyclables in blue bins are the property of City Hall and it is illegal to remove them, police said. When officers approached the suspect, he allegedly told officers “I know, I know.” The suspect said he knew he was breaking the law by removing the items. He also had a shopping cart from a grocery store in his possession, police said. In the shopping cart officers found a backpack. Officers said they located marijuana, crack cocaine and two hydrocodone pills. Officers placed the suspect under arrest for narcotics possession, possession of stolen property and the removal of recyclables. The suspect was identified as Beecher Brumley, 48, a transient. His bail was set at $10,000.
Saturday, Nov. 20, at 2:27 p.m.,
Officers responded to the area of 34th Street and Pico Boulevard regarding a report of vandalism. While en route, officers received a report that the victim was following the suspect. The victim said he was stopped at the crosswalk near 34th Street and Pico Boulevard. His vehicle was slightly in the crosswalk. The suspect walked toward his vehicle and produce a switchblade. The suspect allegedly scratched the driver’s side door with the knife. The victim drove away and called the police. Officers located the suspect at the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Barrington Avenue. Officers located the switchblade in the suspect’s front pocket. Officers arrested the suspect for vandalism and possession of a switchblade. He was identified as Samuel Thompson, 52, a transient. No bail information was provided.
Saturday, Nov. 20, at 8:35 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 400 block of Marine Street regarding a report of a hit and run. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle that struck a power pole. The vehicle was unoccupied upon arrival. Officers said they saw someone near the vehicle, but they left the location before officers had a chance to question them. A witness told officers that they saw the driver exit the vehicle and provided a description. Officers went to a location in Venice where the vehicle was registered. Officers took the witness, who positively identified the driver, who happened to be the man officers saw near the vehicle when they arrived. Officers believed the suspect was under the influence of alcohol. He allegedly exhibited the signs — red and watery eyes, slurred speech. Officers had the suspect perform a sobriety test. Upon completion, officers arrested the suspect for driving while impaired and leaving the scene of an accident. The suspect was identified as Gregory Lutch, 40, of Venice. His bail was set at $35,000.
Sunday, Nov. 21, at 10:25 a.m.,
Officers responded to the 1800 block of Euclid Street regarding a burglary in progress. When officers arrived, they saw a man leaving an apartment building. Officers detained the man, who said he lived in one of the apartments but did not have any paperwork to show his residency. The man gave officers permission to search him. Officers searched the suspect and said they found a small plastic container filled with concentrated cannabis. The man, who did reside in the apartment building in question, was booked for possession of concentrated cannabis and a probation violation. He was identified as Ronnie Clunie, 46, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $10,000.
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Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.
