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Monrovia Police: Surprising Vehicle Burglar; Front Door Kicked In; Man Attacks Dad and Grandmother; Erratic Food Truck; And More

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 13-16. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Residential Burglary
April 13 at 2:28 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of W. Hillcrest regarding a burglary. The location is vacant, but staged for sale. The property owner returned to the location and saw the rear glass door had been shattered. Nothing was stolen from inside the location, but it was evident the suspects had searched through the location for items. There was graffiti inside the location as well. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 3:38 p.m., an officer responded to the rear of a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington regarding a homeless person camping. One female adult was located inside a make shift shelter. While speaking to her, officers determined she was under the influence of methamphetamine. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
April 13 at 5:01 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of N. Alta Vista called police to report their home had been burglarized. The resident had returned home and found someone had kicked in his front door. Officers responded and searched the residence, but no suspects were located. Numerous items were taken from the home. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 14 at 12:08 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of W. Evergreen regarding a vehicle burglary. The victim walked outside to her vehicle and found a suspect inside rummaging through her belongings. She yelled at the suspect and he ran away. Officers conducted an area check, but did not find the suspect. The victim believes the suspect may have taken some of her mail from the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspects Arrested
April 14 at 1:19 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 400 block of S. Myrtle when he observed a subject that was snorting a white substance off of a metal box. The officer detained the subject and he admitted to snorting methamphetamine. The suspect was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

Vehicle Burglary
April 14 at 2:28 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 800 block of W. Duarte Road. The victim parked and locked her vehicle in the carport of her apartment complex, leaving her purse on the front seat. When she returned to the vehicle, she found a window had been smashed and her purse was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 14 at 4:47 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 1400 block of S. Shamrock conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a vehicle code violation. A computer check revealed the driver had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Battery / Elder Abuse – Suspect Arrested
April 14 at 8:56 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 500 block of Fano on a battery report. The 21-year-old son woke up and began arguing with his father. He then began punching his father on the head. His grandmother walked into the room to see what was going on and he turned and wrapped his arm around her neck and began choking her. An Uncle had to intervene until police arrived. The suspect was arrested for battery and elder abuse.

Theft from a Vehicle
April 15 at 7:26 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 1600 block of S. Mayflower. The victim parked her vehicle in her garage, but the vehicle was unlocked and the garage door was open throughout the night. She returned to her vehicle the next day and noticed property had been stolen from inside. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Delaying and Resisting a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 8:37 a.m., a caller reported a male subject driving a food truck erratically in a park in the 700 block of E. Lemon. Officers arrived and located a male subject walking south on Shamrock and determined he was, in fact, the driver of the vehicle. The subject displayed symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance and he fled on foot from officers across the street and entered a church. Officers detained the suspect and he was arrested. The suspect was held for a sobering period.

Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales – Suspect Arrested
April 17 at 1:10 a.m., officers responded to the area of Mountain and Valley View regarding a subject smoking marijuana in a vehicle. The investigation led the officers to conduct a vehicle search and a large quantity of drugs were located in addition to packaging material and a scale. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Wheelhouse Ceramics Spring Sale - April 28,29




Wheelhouse Ceramics (Monrovia Adult Education) is having its spring sale Friday April 28, 6-9 p.m. and Saturday, April 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wheelhouse Ceramics is a non-profit group and the sale helps fund the studio. Over 30 artists' work is represented to view and/or purchase. The studio is located near the corner of Myrtle and Duarte, behind AAMCO and Troy's Donuts & Burgers and just east of Santa Fe school.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Robotics Teams Go Worldwide!

Monrovia's robotics teams will compete in Houston and the Netherlands. https://goo.gl/lD5j09

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Transit and Stormwater Requirements

At the next City Council meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/iaY9bn) the council will consider hiring Parking Company of America to manage Monrovia Transit (https://goo.gl/hjywi9), and consider spending $375,781 to buy five new buses for Monrovia Transit (https://goo.gl/Ju57Hk).

Also, before the regular meeting the council will hold a study session (https://goo.gl/TNAX7M) on the super-expensive stormwater-clean-up requirements that are being put upon Monrovia and lots of other local cities. This will include a discussion of Senate Bill  231, which defines "sewer" as including systems designed to handle storm water (https://goo.gl/w6gNMo).

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Jewish Center Plans Holocaust Remembrance Play

In observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Monrovia-based Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys and the Pasadena Playhouse are partnering for a special staged reading of "Righteous," a Holocaust related play, on Monday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Written by playwright Jeff Cohen, Righteous centers around Eduard Schulte, a prominent German industrialist, who was one of many German citizens who were secretly against Nazism, who was first to report to the west of the Nazis intention to murder all of the Jews in Europe. Cohen's play captures the essence of this unsung hero's life through the eyes of his granddaughter.

The play is being read by the Jewish Federation's JFed Players and is being performed in partnership with the National Jewish Theater Foundation's Remembrance Readings. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by contacting the Pasadena Playhouse box office 356-7529.  For more information contact the Jewish Federation 445-0810 or the Pasadena Playhouse at 356-7529.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Hawaiian BBQ and Dim Sum

 

Dinner at Hawaiian BBQ and Dim Sum, in the Pavilions shopping center at Foothill and Myrtle. Got the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken for $6.99 and an iced tea for $2.38. Good, and a lot. I was hungry but had to save some for later. 


- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Grand Theft Trailer; Sleeping in the Garage; Drugs and Alcohol

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 10-12. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 418 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

Warrant / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
April 10 at 7:15 a.m., a disturbing subject was reported at a residence in the 200 block of W. Palm. Officers arrived and contacted the subject, who was found to have an outstanding warrant. The subject was arrested and during the booking process, narcotics were located in his possession. The subject was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Grand Theft Auto
April 10 at 3:27 p.m., a pop-up trailer was reported stolen from the 900 block of S. Primrose. The trailer was being stored on the property and it was stolen sometime over the weekend. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
April 11 at 12:19 a.m., police dispatch received several calls reporting a disturbance between a male and female at a residence in the 100 block of E. Scenic. Officers arrived and the male subject walked away from them. When the officers attempted to detain him, he fled and ran through several yards. The subject was detained at Greystone and Canyon. He was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Suspicious Subject / Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
April 11 at 7:07 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Colorado called police to report a subject sleeping on an air mattress in the carport of her apartment complex. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. The investigation revealed the subject had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. While the officers were attempting to take the suspect into custody, he resisted by tensing his arms and trying to pull away from their grasp. He was arrested and taken into custody without injury. The suspect was later released with a citation to appear in court.

Possession of Narcotics – Suspect Arrested
April 12 at 12:31 a.m., officers responded to the report of suspicious subjects walking around with flashlights in the 1200 block of S. Fifth Avenue. Officers arrived and contacted a male subject who was standing near some bushes. The subject was acting suspicious so officers checked the area where he was standing and located a baggie containing methamphetamine. The subject was arrested for possession of narcotics.

Vehicle Burglary
April 12 at 6:55 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 300 block of N. Mountain. The victim parked and locked her vehicle in front of her residence and went inside for the night. She returned the next day and saw several items had been taken from her vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
April 12 at 9:12 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of E. Olive reported that sometime during the night someone vandalized his garage with graffiti. The investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 1:42 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Diamond regarding a driver who hit some parked cars and fled the scene. Officers arrived and stopped the vehicle. The investigation determined the driver was intoxicated. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Monrovia Canyon Park Hike For Veterans


On Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m.-noon, the Veterans Resource Center of the Monrovia Public Library is sponsoring a guided hike in Monrovia Canyon Park for veterans, service members, family and friends of all ages. Included is a picnic lunch sponsored by The Friends of the Monrovia Public Library. Register online at cityofmonrovia.org/library or call 256-8262.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Election: Incumbents Win

All the incumbents won yesterday's election. The only contested race was for mayor, which Mayor Tom Adams won handily.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Graduation Rate Up, Suspension Rate Down

A good report for Monrovia Schools. According to a recently released state report, the graduation rate for 2016 was up and suspension rate is down (for MHS: https://goo.gl/FSQAzf ). The Star-News says Monrovia "saw one of the largest jumps in its graduation rates across the entire county" (https://goo.gl/5GeB4o).

- Brad Haugaard

Citrus College Again Named as 'Military Friendly School'

Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, has been named a Military Friendly School for 2017, the seventh consecutive year the college has earned this recognition. The designation, by the magazine, by G.I. Jobs, is for embracing military students and ensuring their success in the classroom.

The college's Veterans Success Center serves approximately 500 veterans annually. It is located in a 3,700 square-foot facility that offers computers, quiet rooms for studying and a garden for veterans to maintain and grow food. Its services include mental health management, academic counseling and financial aid assistance.

Citrus recently collaborated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medical exams, screenings and follow-ups for student veterans on campus. The partnership marked the first time the VA offered telehealth services on a California college campus.

Source: Citrus press release

- Brad Haugaard

Historic Monrovia Home Loses Its Porch; Market Grill Becoming Furniture Store; Churches Rent Parks for Easter; Etc.

In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/tvTGGe) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ The home at 311  E. Lemon Ave. - which is a historical landmark - has had its front porch removed. Chi writes: "Unfortunately, the owner of 311  E. Lemon Ave. decided to demolish the entire front porch of the house without City approval and without permits." The city is considering what to do about it.

~ The former Market Grill site at 525  S. Shamrock Ave. is going to be turned into a furniture store.

~ Two churches are renting two parks for Easter - Library Park and Station Square Park. Calvary Chapel is renting Library Park and plans to set up 700 chairs with tents. The service will be held Easter Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. Also, Bridgetown Church is renting Station Square Park and plans to set up 200 chairs and provide canopies for refreshments. The Easter Sunday service will be from 9 a.m. to noon.

~ The State of California has approved $5.2 billion in new taxes and fees to fund transportation and road improvements. Monrovia expects to get $800,000 per year. One interesting aspect of the new taxes is that "zero-emission vehicles will be required to pay an additional $100 / year vehicle registration fee, to make-up for the fact that owners of zero-emission vehicles do not pay any gas tax." Comment: So, they encourage you to use less gas, then charge you more because you do.

~ As part of the citywide streets, water and sewer renewal project work will begin on Myrtle between Huntington Drive and Central Avenue beginning on the evening of Sunday, April 16. Work will be done at night to minimize inconvenience to daytime traffic.

~ Last week the Monrovia Fire Department and the Red Cross installed 76 fire alarms in 30 mobile homes at the Monrovia Mobile Home Park Estates located on Huntington Drive.

~  The art piece to honor former Mayor Bob Bartlett is almost done, but the city wants to hold off installing it until Station Square renovations are finished, which should be in mid-to late-summer.

~ Foothill Unity Center is considering buying the World Vision property located at 790  W. Chestnut Ave.. The Planning Commission will consider the matter at its April 12 meeting.

- Brad Haugaard

Suspects Crash Carjacked Car After Forced Home Entry; Man Punched in Face For Earbuds; Girlfriend Hit With Purse; Cars Broken In To; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 6-9. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Vehicle Burglary
April 6 at 9:17 a.m., two subjects parked their vehicles in the 600 block of N. Canyon Avenue, near the opening of the nature trail. The subjects went for a hike and when they returned, they found the windows to their vehicles had been shattered and both cars were ransacked. There was nothing missing from one of the vehicles, but a purse was taken from the second vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
April 6 at 9:21 a.m., officers located an unoccupied stolen vehicle in a parking lot in the 700 block of W. Huntington Drive. The vehicle was reported stolen recently to the Pasadena Police Department. The vehicle was recovered and stored for fingerprinting.

Residential Burglary / Pursuit / Felony Hit & Run / Carjacking Vehicle Recovered – Suspects Arrested
April 6 at 3:58 p.m., dispatch received a call from a resident in the 600 block of Norumbega, reporting that several male subjects had forced entry into a neighboring home. The caller advised that the subjects fled the location at a high rate of speed in a gray Mercedes Benz when the home’s alarm activated.

Responding officers located the suspect vehicle at Mountain and Foothill and a pursuit was initiated. The suspect vehicle collided into several other vehicles in the 200 block of East Foothill. Three suspects ran from the vehicle and one was detained inside. The three suspects that ran were located within minutes and all four suspects were arrested. A driver of one of the vehicles involved in the traffic collision with the suspects complained of pain and will seek medical treatment. The suspect vehicle was found to have been stolen in a carjacking incident that occurred on March 28 in the city of Los Angeles. There were several items that appear to be stolen property found inside the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
April 7 at 7:52 a.m., officers responded to the report of a stolen vehicle in the 1400 block of Alamitas Avenue. The victim parked her vehicle on the street in front of her residence. When she returned to her vehicle, it was missing. There were no signs of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.

Shots Fired
April 7 at 5:07 p.m., police received several calls reporting shots fired in the 100 to 200 blocks of Los Angeles. Officers arrived on scene, obtained statements and canvassed the area. An older, white Camaro reportedly fled west and a dark-colored SUV fled east from the area right after the shooting. They were allegedly chasing a grey, 1990's Honda, which drove through the area with firing from their vehicle. Initial reports are the occupants of the suspect vehicle were male Black subjects. Officers searched the area, but the suspects were not located. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 7 at 10:47 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported at a business parking lot in the 700 block of E. Huntington. The victim parked her vehicle in the lot and went into a business. When she returned, she found a window was smashed on her vehicle and her purse and wallet had been stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 8 at 12:57 a.m., a male and female who are boyfriend and girlfriend went out drinking and began arguing. The argument continued when they arrived home and the male subject threw a purse at his girlfriend, which caused an injury to her chin. He was arrested for domestic violence.

Public Intoxication – Suspects Arrested
April 8 at 2:06 a.m., officers received two calls reporting subjects causing a disturbance in a rear alley in the 100 block of S. Canyon. On arrival, two subjects were found yelling and arguing. Both were extremely intoxicated and were arrested for being drunk in public. One of the subjects also had an outstanding warrant.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
April 8 at 9:00 a.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported in the 600 block of Montana Street. Officers located the vehicle and discovered it was reported stolen to the Los Angeles Police Department on April 7. The vehicle is a 1995 Honda Accord. There were no signs of forced entry. The vehicle was removed from the system and stored until the owner can be notified.

Warrants / Possession of Methamphetamine / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 8 at 3:02 p.m., officers saw a subject walk out of a business who looked suspicious. The officer remained in the area and was flagged down a minute later by loss prevention from the business, who reported that the suspicious subject had filled a basket with store merchandise and began to leave the store without paying, but at the last minute discarded the basket and left the store. He was unsure if the subject had actually taken anything. The officer contacted the subject and began speaking with him. During the course of the contact, it was discovered that the subject had multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest and was in possession of methamphetamine and a drug pipe. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 8 at 9:08 p.m., an officer ran the license plates on a vehicle and they returned to a different type of vehicle. The officers conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver. The driver was found to have an outstanding warrant. The driver was arrested for the warrant, the vehicle was stored, and the plates were recovered from vehicle.

Stolen Vehicle
April 9 at 8:07 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the area of Duarte and Tenth. The victim left his vehicle parked on the street overnight. He woke in the morning and discovered his vehicle was missing. During the investigation, the officer learned the victim left his loaded firearm under the seat. He said he recently went to the firing range and forgot to take it out of the vehicle. The vehicle was entered into the stolen vehicle system and the firearm was also entered as stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Robbery
April 9 at 10:00 p.m., a robbery victim reported that he was approached by a male Black subject at a bus bench in the 300 block of W. Huntington. The suspect inquired about the victim’s wireless earbuds. The suspect asked if he could see them and the victim complied. After several minutes, the victim asked for the item back, but the suspect told him no. The victim reached for the earbuds and the suspect struck him in the face with a closed fist. The suspect then fled on foot with the property. The victim left the immediate area and contacted police. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 9 at 10:31 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 800 block of E. Olive. The victim left his keys and wallet on the center console of his vehicle and locked the doors to his vehicle and left. When he returned to his vehicle, the driver-side window had been shattered and the items were gone. The investigation is continuing.

At-Risk Boys Help Seniors

At-risk boys help seniors make greeting cards in Monrovia. https://goo.gl/zYD2Pi

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Construction Equipment Stolen; Heroin, Alcohol and Guns; Grand Theft With Kid

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 3-5. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 427 service events, resulting in 65 investigations.

Commercial Burglary
April 3 at 6:42 a.m., a burglary was reported at a business in the area of Huntington & Myrtle. A large container was broken into at the construction site and equipment was taken. The investigation is continuing.

Identity Theft
April 3 at 11:00 a.m., an employee at a business in the 1400 block of S. Mountain called police to report a female that attempted to purchase a vehicle with false identification. During the transaction the employee discovered the driver’s license the female presented did not belong to her. The female left the location prior to police arrival and was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 3 at 2:33 p.m., officers responded to a report of a residential burglary in the 500 block of E. Walnut. The resident stated that when she returned home from her vacation she noticed a pair of earrings and her laptop were missing. There were no signs of forced entry and the residence was not ransacked. The investigation is continuing.

Attempt Murder – Suspect Arrested
April 4 at 1:32 a.m., officers responded to the report of gun shots heard in the 100 block of W. Colorado. While officers searched the area they were flagged down by the victim who told the police that the suspect was her boyfriend and he had been using heroin and drinking alcohol. The suspect left the location after firing a handgun towards the victim. He fired additional rounds, reloaded his gun and fled in his vehicle. The suspect made comments about being upset with law enforcement. Officers located the suspect and took him into custody.

Residential Burglary
April 4 at 6:02 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 800 block of W. Palm regarding a residential burglary. The residents were away from home and when they returned they found the rear door with a glass pane had been shattered. The house was ransacked but nothing appeared to be missing.The investigation is still continuing.

Shots Fired
April 5 at 12:10 a.m., officers were dispatched to the area of California and Los Angeles regarding a gun shot heard. The caller told the police he heard one shot fired possibly on Cherry. He walked to his front yard in the 400 block of Los Angeles and saw a black 2 door Honda, possibly a Civic traveling west on Los Angeles. The caller said the driver had his arm out the window, he heard a second shot and saw a muzzle flash. He was unable to give a description of the driver or the weapon. The officers checked the area but no evidence was found. Only one call was made to the Monrovia police department regarding this incident.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 12:41 a.m., a caller reported a suspicious person in the 800 block of W. Walnut. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject, further investigation revealed he had a warrant. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft / Conspiracy / Possession of a Controlled Substance–Suspects Arrested
April 5 at 7:11 p.m., officers were on patrol in the 500 block of W. Huntington when they noticed a suspicious vehicle stopped along the curb in front of a business. The vehicle had its hazard lights on and did not have license plates. Officers observed a female running out of the business carrying two large bags. The female got into the waiting vehicle which fled away. Officers stopped the vehicle a short distance away and through their investigation found out the female had stolen merchandise from the business. During the search of the vehicle, officers located narcotics and paraphernalia as well as a small child. The suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 7:14 p.m., officers responded to a call in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle regarding a suspicious subject. The officers contacted the subject who was found to be under the influence of a controlled substance. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Lunch at Sierra Cafe

 
Lunch recently at the Sierra Cafe, at the Sierra Auto dealership, on Central Avenue (the freeway access road on the north side) a half block west of Mountain. Got a cheeseburger for $6.99 and an iced tea for$1.50. It came with a bag of chips and the iced tea was gigantic! Cute little diner and the burger was very good. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia's Assembly Member Has Bill Approved to Require State Agency to Communicate Clearly

Assembly Member Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has had a bill to require a state agency to clearly explain what it does approved unanimously by the Assembly Committee on Human Services.

The press release says: "Assembly Bill 959 requires the Department of Developmental Services to expand the type of information offered by regional centers on their websites and describe the services offered in plain language for parents to understand," and the Legislative Counsel's analysis (https://goo.gl/HJKlc0) says: "This bill would require a regional center to also include on its Internet Website a list, in a standardized format prescribed by the department, of the services that are provided directly to consumers by the regional center or through service vendors or contractors."

Comment: I approve of this bill, but ... Cheesh! It really says nothing good about our state government when it takes an act of the legislature to get a government agency to carry out its basic duties in a simple, businesslike way.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Street Fair May Move to Library Park; City Property for Sale; Science Program for High Schoolers; Etc.

In his weekly update (https://goo.gl/Oh8apv), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ The city is thinking of moving the Street Fair to Library Park beginning on Friday, June 30.

~ City staff it talking with the Monrovia Unified School District and Oak Crest Institute of Science about creating a summer science program for Monrovia High School students.

~ Monrovia is thinking of selling two vacant lots it owns at 498 Monrovista Avenue and 1234 Sherman Avenue.

~ A big eucalyptus tree came down in last week's windstorm around Violet Avenue and Foothill Boulevard.

~ The California Parks and Recreation Society, District 13, will honor Monrovia and its Community Services Commission for banning smoking in city parks.

~ On Thursday, April 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will host a Community Health Fair at Library Park.

~ The Summer Art Walk will be held on July 29, from 7 to 10 p.m., along the 400 and 500 blocks of Myrtle Avenue in Old Town. Live music, a gallery reception, and art demonstrations.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police On Lookout This Month for Texting-While-Driving

This month the Monrovia Police Department is participating in National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Monrovia Police Department, CHP, local law enforcement, and community partners throughout the state are working together to make the roads safer by highlighting the dangers of being distracted while driving, especially by cell phones.

"Law enforcement would rather see everyone off their cell phones than hand out a lot of tickets," said Rhonda Craft, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. "Take care of calling, texting, setting your GPS and everything else before you hit the street." Lawmakers agree that distracted driving continues to be a growing problem among California's motorists. Assembly Bill 1785 went into effect on Jan. 1, requiring all drivers in California to keep their cell phone out of their hands while operating a motor vehicle. Under the new law, a driver may activate or deactivate a feature or function of the cell phone or wireless communication device by swiping or tapping its screen only if it is properly mounted or not being held in a driver's hand. Specific information on the new law can be found at www.ots.ca.gov.

The Office of Traffic Safety will begin a new public awareness campaign throughout the state in April emphasizing how the new law makes virtually all hand-held cell phone activity illegal - talking, texting, and using apps. The campaign aims to end distracted driving through education and raise awareness about the associated dangers. The goal is to change motorist behaviors and save lives, not just in the month of April, but year round. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 3,477 people were killed and an estimated 391,000 injured in motor vehicle collisions involving distracted drivers in 2015. That is a 9 percent increase in fatalities as compared to the previous year.

Monrovia Police Department will join other law enforcement agencies throughout the state to provide educational experiences as well as zero tolerance enforcement efforts to discourage distracted driving. Officers will have a special emphasis this month on enforcing all cell phone and distracted driving laws. The goal is to gain voluntary compliance by drivers, but sometimes citations are necessary for motorists to better understand the importance of driving distraction free.

Monrovia Police Department is deploying extra traffic officers with grant-funded resources throughout the month of April in city locations with higher numbers of traffic collisions. Violators will be stopped and cited with fines set at $162 for first time offenders. This campaign is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Source: Monrovia Police Department

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Daughter Bites Mother's Finger; Burglars Break Open Roof; Biking While Drunk; She Won't Give Her iPhone Back - He Takes Her Glasses; Man Robbed at Gunpoint; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 30 - April 1. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Shoplifting / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
March 30 at 1:01 p.m., a loss prevention employee at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called police to report a male suspect they had detained for petty theft. Officers responded and arrested the suspect for the petty theft and during a search of the suspect, officers found he was in possession of drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine, which were added to his charges.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
March 30 at 1:58 p.m., a parking control officer located an unoccupied vehicle parked in the 300 block of S. Lincoln that had been reported stolen. An officer responded and confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Baldwin Park earlier in the day. The vehicle is a silver, 2000 Honda Civic. The officer recovered the vehicle.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
March 30 at 10:49 p.m., an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop in the area of California and Lime for a vehicle code violation. The driver was found to be unlicensed and a parolee with an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Battery – Suspect Arrested
March 31 at 3:18 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 1000 block of Norumbega regarding a family disturbance. A mother and daughter were arguing and the daughter bit her mother’s finger. She also damaged property. The daughter fled the location prior to officers arriving, but was found hiding in a parked vehicle near the home; she was arrested for battery.

Attempt Commercial Burglary
March 31 at 9:34 a.m., an attempted burglary was reported at a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The suspects broke through the roof of two businesses and then through a wall in an attempt to access a third business. It appears the suspects were unable to access the area they were attempting to burglarize and left back up through the roof opening. The investigation is continuing.

Riding a Bicycle Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
March 31 at 12:21 p.m., an officer was dispatched on the report of a male adult riding a bicycle recklessly throughout the park in the 300 block of S. Myrtle and nearly hitting several pedestrians. Officers located the subject and determined he was intoxicated. The subject was also combative with the officers. He was arrested for riding a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol.

Grand Theft
April 1 at 5:07 p.m., a grand theft was reported by employees at a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill. The suspect stole a large amount of liquor from the business on March 31, but the store did not file a report at that time. The suspect returned to the store on April 1 and was recognized by employees, but he left the business. The employees then called police to report the prior theft. The investigation will continue.

Domestic Violence
April 1 at 7:11 p.m., a domestic violence incident was reported at Myrtle and Chestnut. The victim reported that her boyfriend gave her an iPhone for her birthday and then asked for it back. When she refused, he hit her on the head twice and took her glasses, then fled. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence
April 1 at 9:23 p.m., a witness called police and reported a drunk driver in the 200 block of Stedman. An officer responded and located the driver stopped in the middle of the street. After investigation, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was arrested and taken into custody.

Robbery
April 2 at 1:26 a.m., a robbery was reported in the 200 block of W. Lemon. The male victim was dropped off by Uber on Magnolia. As the victim walked east through an alley, a vehicle traveling west in the alley stopped and a male suspect exited. He approached the victim and told him to drop his phone. When the victim turned toward the suspect, he saw a gun in the suspect’s hand. The victim dropped his phone and was then instructed to drop his wallet. The victim dropped his wallet and walked away. The suspect fled the area. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
April 2 at 8:37 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 200 block of E. Pomona. The victim parked and locked his green, four-door, 1995 Honda Accord in front of his home and went in for the evening. He returned to his vehicle in the morning and found his car had been stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Bicycle Vs. Pedestrian Traffic Collision / Riding a Bicycle Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
April 2 at 4:19 p.m., a bicycle versus pedestrian collision was reported in the 300 block of Duarte Road. The father of a four-year-old girl called police to report that a male subject on a bicycle swerved and hit his daughter's leg, causing a minor injury. The suspect refused to stay at the scene and rode away; however, the father was able to provide a detailed description of the suspect. Officers were able to locate the suspect and he was arrested and held for a sobering period.