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Monrovia Police: Robbery at ATM; Counterfeit Money; Cell Phone Robbery; Drunks and More Drunks; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 12-18. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 445 service events, resulting in 86 investigations.

Petty Theft
April 12 at 1:10 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Walnut found their mailbox open and discovered that a package was missing. The package had been delivered, and it contained clothing that had been ordered online. It was taken sometime during the day. This investigation is continuing.

Traffic Collision
April 12 at 1:30 p.m., officers were called to the intersection of Mayflower and Huntington, where a traffic collision had just occurred. One vehicle had been traveling south on Mayflower and attempted a left turn directly in front of another vehicle that was traveling north on Mayflower. The vehicles collided in the intersection. One of the drivers was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
April 12 at 1:57 p.m., the owner of a parked vehicle in the 100 block of W. Palm returned to her car and discovered it had collision damage on the driver’s side. There was no note left on the vehicle letting the owner know who collided into her car. This investigation is continuing.

Counterfeit Money
April 12 at 3:39 p.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 900 block of W. Huntington discovered a customer had used counterfeit U.S. currency to purchase a meal. The employee called the police. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 12 at 5:45 p.m., the owner of a house in the 1800 block of S. Mayflower returned home after work and discovered the glass in a side door had been shattered and the door was left open. She went inside her house and found it had been ransacked. All her jewelry was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Robbery
April 12 at 6:46 p.m., several suspects entered a store in the 600 block of W. Huntington and removed new cellphones from the shelves, then ran out of the store without paying for the merchandise. One of the store’s employees was outside with a cellphone in his hand. He yelled at the suspects, who had just ran out of the store. One of the suspects forced the employee’s phone out of his hand, then ran. The employee chased after the suspects, yelling at them, but the suspects fled the area. Officers arrived, but were unable to locate the suspects. This investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of Narcotics – Suspect Arrested
April 12 at 7:20 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers saw a female subject approaching customers and vehicles in front of a liquor store in the 400 block of W. Duarte. They stopped to find out if she needed help. They found that she appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance. Field tests were conducted, and she was arrested for being under the influence.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 2:27 a.m., officers were called to a house in the 700 block of W. Foothill because neighbors heard yelling coming from inside the house. They arrived and found a male and female living in the house had been in an argument. The argument had become physical, and the female subject had caused injuries to her boyfriend. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 7:15 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 200 block of E. Foothill, when he saw a male subject he recognized as being wanted by the Monrovia Police for a weapons offense. The subject was stopped, his identity was confirmed and he was arrested.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 7:42 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 200 block of E. Palm, when he saw a vehicle that matched the suspect vehicle description from a hit & run collision the day before. The vehicle had fresh collision damage. The officer stopped the vehicle and approached the driver. The driver immediately confessed to colliding into the victim’s parked vehicle and not stopping. A computer check revealed the driver also had a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
April 13 at 3:22 p.m., two vehicles collided into each other in the intersection of Shamrock and Huntington. One of the vehicles fled the scene as the other pulled to the curb out of the intersection. Officers were called and they searched for the fleeing vehicle, but were unable to locate it. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 10:35 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Duarte, when he saw five homeless persons in the wash area. He stopped to see if they needed services, however, they refused. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had a warrant for his arrest, so he was taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 14 at 12:49 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 800 block of S. Mountain, when he saw a vehicle in front of him fail to stop for a red light signal. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted, and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Under the Influence of Narcotics / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 14 at 6:25 a.m., employees of a hotel in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported a suspicious male subject on their property for the second day in a row. Officers arrived, located the subject, and found him to be under the influence of a controlled substance. He was taken into custody. A search incident to arrest revealed he was in possession of drug paraphernalia, which was added to the charges.

Petty Theft
April 14 at 9:56 a.m., employees of a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported two female subjects had just entered their store, removed several bottles of liquor from a shelf, and then ran out of the store without paying. Officers arrived and searched the area, but were unable to locate the subjects. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspects Arrested
April 14 at 7:40 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 1700 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject slumped over on a bench in Station Square Park. He stopped to check on the subject’s welfare and found him to be heavily intoxicated. The subject was not able to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody for public intoxication.

Armed Robbery
April 14 at 9:01 p.m., a customer of a bank in the 600 block of W. Huntington was in his vehicle at the drive-thru ATM, when a male suspect approached his vehicle and pointed a handgun at him demanding money. The victim handed the suspect $300, which had been withdrawn from the ATM, as well as some additional money he had in his pocket. The suspect fled the area with the money. Officers arrived and searched for the suspect, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 2:32 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 3300 block of S. Peck when he saw a vehicle speeding. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 3:32 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of Los Angeles reported a male subject outside causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was found to be heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody for public intoxication.

Petty Theft / Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 5:24 p.m., an employees of a gas station in the 1500 block reported a male suspect had just stolen a beer from their store. Officers arrived and located the subject in front of the store. He was heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. The unopened beer was returned to the store and the store refused to prosecute him for the theft. He was arrested for public intoxication.

Burglary
April 15 at 8:18 p.m., a resident at an apartment complex in the 900 block of S. Monterey walked outside his home and discovered someone had cut the locks off of several of the carport storage lockers sometime during the day. It is unknown what was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 16 at 1:23 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle, when he saw a subject loitering and stumbling inside Library Park, which had been closed for several hours. He stopped the subject and found him to be heavily intoxicated. The subject was unable to care for his own safety and was arrested for public intoxication and taken into custody.

Alcohol Offense – Suspects Cited
April 17 at 11:00 a.m., officers were on patrol in the 100 block of W. Palm, when they saw four subjects in Library Park, drinking alcohol near a posted sign prohibiting possession of alcohol in the park. The officers stopped all four subjects and issued them citations to appear in court on the charges.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
April 16 at 11:36 a.m., police dispatch was notified of a stolen vehicle traveling north in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. The vehicle description was broadcast and officers stopped the vehicle at Myrtle and the 210 Freeway. After investigation, the female driver was arrested for grand theft auto without incident.

Grand Theft Auto
April 18 at 8:07 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 800 block of Oakdale. The resident walked outside her home and discovered her Honda Accord had been stolen sometime during the night. The vehicle information was entered into the DMV stolen vehicle database. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
April 18 at 8:09 a.m., while gardeners were mowing the lawns at Recreation Park in the 700 block of E. Lemon, someone removed several tools and gardening equipment from the back of their two trucks. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
April 18 at 8:44 a.m., an employee of a store in the 400 block of W. Foothill reported a male subject had entered the store, removed several boxes of cigarettes from a shelf behind the checkout counter, and then fled the store without paying. Officers arrived and searched for the subject, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 18 at 8:53 a.m., a business owner in the 500 block of Chestnut reported he could hear a female subject yelling for help outside his business. Officers arrived and located a male and female subject who are in a dating relationship. After investigation, it was found that the two had been arguing and the female subject began hitting the male subject, causing physical injuries. The female subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Bicycle Theft – Suspect Arrested
April 18 at 12:22 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of E. Lemon witnessed a male subject enter the side yard of his neighbor’s house, then exit the yard with his neighbor’s bicycle. The subject began riding away from the house with the bike and the resident called police. Officers arrived and located the subject on the bike. He was stopped and after investigation, he was arrested for the theft. The bicycle was returned to the owner. 

Monrovia High's Impressive Swim Team

Article on Monrovia High's revamped swim team and its impressive results. https://goo.gl/DdZajY

- Brad Haugaard

Homeless Woman Charged With Stealing Shuttle Bus in Monrovia, Crashing It In Pasadena

Homeless woman charged with stealing shuttle bus in Monrovia, crashing it in Pasadena. https://goo.gl/xM18HU

- Brad Haugaard

Holden Bill Would Allow College Athletes to Be Paid Yet Retain Amateur Status

A bill by Monrovia's Assembly member, Chris Holden, would allow higher education institutions to create degree-completion funds from which college athletes could receive income while competing and yet retain their amateur status. The athletes would be able to access the fund upon graduation or when they no longer are eligible to participate in college sports in order to fund their education. 

The College Athletes Civil Rights Act of 2018, Assembly Bill 2747, has passed the California State Assembly Committee on Higher Education. The bill would also designate NCAA employees, coaching staff, and other university officials as mandated reporters and require them to report to law enforcement agencies any abuse or neglect.

- Brad Haugaard

Bill By Monrovia's Senator Would Limit Firearms Purchases, Increase Minimum Purchase Age to 21

The California Senate Public Safety Committee has voted to pass SB 1100 authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who represents Monrovia. SB 1100 would prohibit a person from making more than one firearm purchase within a 30-day period in California and increases the age requirement for purchasing all firearms to 21 years.

Source: Portantino press release

- Brad Haugaard

Yet Another Starbucks Coming to Monrovia; Kid Empire Coming, Too; Police to be Honored; Lyft Glitches; Historic Homes


In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ 3-Day Suit Broker, at the corner of Huntington and Magnolia will be replaced with a Starbucks. The new Starbucks will be 2,200 square feet and will include a drive-thru operation.  It will be on a 28,974 square foot site, with 35 parking spaces. The drive-thru will be able to handle 11 vehicles in the queue.

~ A Kids Empire indoor playground will be going in the shopping center at the northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Shamrock. The 10,480 foot space, just east of 24-Hour Fitness, is an indoor playground with slides, climbing structures, a café pantry, and space for private parties such as birthday events.

~ The Monrovia Police Department will hold its Annual Awards Ceremony in the City Council Chambers on Thursday, April 26, at 5 p.m., followed by a cake and punch reception in the Police Department Community Policing Room. Award recipients are:

Distinguished Service Medal: David Andrew, Travis Ortega, James Ruano, William Wilkins, Alfonso Castaneda, Pam Greene, Sandy Williams.

Medal of Valor: Esteban Castaneda, Oliver Medina.

Medal of Merit: Michael Garcia.

Life Saving Medal: David Andrew, Brian Cofield, John Jefferson.

~ Some people have had bugs with the promo code (GOMONROVIA) when using Lyft. Chi said, "Lyft is working to solve the problem with their third-party vendor who assists with promotions like ours.  If you experience an issue with the promo code stopping working, please let us know and we will work with Lyft to resolve the problem."

~ The 36th Annual Monrovia Historic Preservation Group's Historic Homes Tour is scheduled for Sunday, May 6, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. There are six vintage homes that embody the variety, charm, and character of Monrovia's neighborhoods.  Advance tickets may be purchased at Dollmakers' Kattywompus, the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce, or here: http://www.mohpg.org/ost.html

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Member into Texas on Cross-Country Bicycle Ride

Monrovia school board member and former mayor, Rob Hammond, is in Texas now on his bicycle ride from San Diego to Florida. In 2013 Hammond rode his bicycle from Canada to the Mexican border.

You can follow his progress and donate to the Monrovia PTA at this site: http://www.irideforyou.com/track-rob-s-ride.html

- Brad Haugaard

Noodle Street Coming



New restaurant, Noodle St, appears to be replacing the Starlight Chinese restaurant. In the Vons shopping center. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Wine Walk

Monrovia Wine Walk, 6-9 p.m. this Saturday, April 21. Stroll through Old Town, explore businesses and sample wine while enjoying music. For the $40 ticket price, participants will receive 12 one-ounce wine samples. Get tickets here (https://goo.gl/grHQnM) or avoid the processing fee by purchasing the at the Community Center, Volunteer Center, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Charlie's House, Merengue,  Sunday's Old Town Bistro, or PrimeLending. For more information: https://goo.gl/XeZa1B

- Brad Haugaard

Will Monrovia Acquire Peck Lake Wetland for Additional Parkland? Twelve Potential Historic Districts Dropped from Historic Context Statement; Etc.

At its next meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/Hq6wZF) the Monrovia City Council will consider ...

~ Adopting a Citywide Park Master Plan. Highlights:

  • Aim to provide 1.5 acres of park for every thousand residents. Currently the city is at 0.9.
  • Look for properties that could be turned into parks, especially in areas more than a half mile from existing parks. This may mean: "Acquire and develop the Peck Lake Wetland project for passive recreation and stormwater treatment." Also, consider partnering with school district, which "could provide opportunities to improve school facilities in ways that may help meet community park needs." 
  • Improve existing parks: Picnic shelters, playgrounds, water play splash pads, sport fields and courts, restrooms and playground shade structures.

Monster report here: https://goo.gl/6KUhV9

~ Consider adopting an Historic Context Statement (https://goo.gl/eacGnw) which is, "the foundation for identifying, evaluating, and handling historic properties and it helps communities and cities make land use decisions." An earlier version of the HCS identified 12 parts of the city that could become historic districts, but these have been dropped because the Historic Preservation Commission feels it needs to communicate more with residents in those areas and because commissioners felt that "potential district designation should begin at the homeowners' request."

~ Authorize an agreement with Oak Crest Institute of Science and the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills to develop a summer science program for Monrovia students. https://goo.gl/aX5Ty4

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Thai Divine

Lunch at Thai Divine Bistro, which appears to be the new name for Chang Thai Bistro, on the east side of Myrtle just north of Olive, but it seems pretty much the same except the new name. Got the Chicken Satay lunch for $8.95 and an iced tea for $3.50. Came with a green salad, and was all very nice. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Who Serves the Best Pizza in Monrovia?

Vote on which restaurant serves the best pizza at the top of the page at MonroviaNow.com.

NOTE: You may not see the survey if you are using a mobile device. Try a standard computer, and next time I'll try to find a better survey system.

- Brad Haugaard

Cycling School Board Member Now in New Mexico


Transcontinental bicycle rider and former mayor and current school board member, Rob Hammond, reports he has crossed the Continental Divide and is now in New Mexico in his San Diego to Florida ride.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Bicyclist Stopped for Vehicle Code Violation; Senior Bilked by Publishers Clearing House Scam; Cell Phone Tracks Down Suspect; Lots of Car Windows Busted; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 5 - 11. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 440 service events, resulting in 91 investigations.

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 12:38 a.m., residents in the 200 block of N. Shamrock heard a male and female yelling inside one of the houses on their block. Officers responded and located the two subjects. A computer check revealed the male subject had a valid restraining order against him which prohibited him from being around the female subject. He was taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 10:46 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Duarte when he saw a bicyclist commit a vehicle code violation. He stopped the bicyclist and found the rider was in possession of an open container of alcohol, as well as drug paraphernalia. The rider was arrested.

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 8:26 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of Montana reported a male subject pacing back and forth on the street. She had a valid restraining order against the male, who was prohibited from being anywhere near the residence. Officers arrived, located the subject and took him into custody.

Fraud
April 6 at 11:12 a.m., an elderly resident in the 600 block of E. Olive received a telephone call from someone telling her she had won a sweepstakes from Publishers Clearing House; however, to receive the money she would have to purchase $15,000 worth of gift cards, then provide the caller with the gift card numbers. The resident complied with their request, but never received the prize money she was promised. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 2:08 p.m., a caller reported a male and female fighting at a residence in the 500 block of Sombrero. Officers arrived and located the two subjects, who are living together and in a dating relationship. An investigation revealed the female subject had bitten the male, so she was taken into custody.

Fraud – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 8:09 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 700 block of E. Foothill when he saw a vehicle in front of him with current registration tabs; however, a DMV computer check revealed the registration was actually expired. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was arrested for fraud.

Burglary / Grand Theft Auto
April 6 at 10:03 p.m., a resident in the 1100 block of S. Fifth returned home after spending several days in the hospital and discovered her home had been burglarized. Several designer clothing items had been stolen, as well as one of her vehicles. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
April 6 at 10:18 a.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 800 block of W. Duarte when she was stopped by a resident who said they had just found their parked vehicle’s window had been shattered. The resident was inside her home when she heard the vehicle’s alarm activate, so she went outside and saw the damage. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 11:04 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 1700 block of S. Magnolia when he saw a male subject he recognized from previous contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest, so the sergeant took him into custody. A search incident to arrest revealed the subject was also in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Commercial Burglary
April 7 at 6:36 a.m., the owner of a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington arrived to work and discovered one of the windows to the building had been shattered. When she went inside the business, she found that it had been burglarized, with several packages of merchandise taken. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 7 between 8:30 and 9:41 a.m., residents in the 900 block of Monterey and the 300 block of N. Grand walked outside their homes to go to work and discovered windows to their vehicles had been shattered. Two vehicles had been burglarized sometime during the night. A laptop computer and a backpack were taken. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 4:32 p.m., the victim of a vehicle burglary in the City of Duarte had their cellphone and other items stolen. The victim used the phone’s tracking system to locate the phone inside a house in the 1400 block of Encino. Officers responded and the phone and other stolen property was recovered. The person who was in possession of the stolen property was arrested.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 10:14 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington when he saw a female subject lying across the sidewalk. The officer stopped to see if she needed medical assistance, but found she was only sleeping. A computer check revealed she had a warrant for her arrest, so she was taken into custody.

DUI / Warrant – Suspect Arrest
April 7 at 10:27 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Walnut, when he saw a motorist weaving back and forth along the road. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI. A computer check revealed the driver also had a warrant for his arrest.

Under the Influence of Drugs – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 11:47 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 800 block of S. Fifth when he saw a male subject walking in the parking lot of a business that was closed. The male was behaving suspicious. The sergeant stopped the subject and found him to be under the influence of drugs, so he was arrested.

Petty Theft
April 8 at 12:05 a.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 600 block of W. Huntington walked outside to his car and found someone had stolen one of the wheels off his vehicle. The car was propped up on a jack. This investigation is continuing.

DUI – Suspects Arrested
April 8 between 1:34 and 2:09 a.m., officers stopped two separate vehicles, one in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle and the other in the 900 block of S. Alta Vista for vehicle code violations. Both drivers were found to be intoxicated, so field sobriety tests were conducted. Both subjects were too intoxicated to operate a vehicle safely, so they were arrested for DUI.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 8 at 3:05 a.m., a resident in the 1100 block of Sesmas heard someone knocking on the front door to her home. When she looked outside, she did not recognize the male subject, so she called the police. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest, so he was taken into custody.

DUI – Suspect Arrested
April 9 at 12:06 a.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 2600 block of S. Myrtle when she saw a vehicle traveling north on Myrtle, swerving back and forth. She stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Vehicle Burglary
April 9 at 8:33 a.m., a resident in the 1200 block of Encino walked outside his home and discovered that sometime during the night someone had shattered two of his car windows. He looked inside his car and found that his laptop and wallet containing credit cards had been stolen. He called his credit card companies and was told the cards had already been used at several different stores in various cities. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
April 9 between 1:10 and 2:48 p.m., employees of a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported two incidents of shoplifting. The suspects in the first incident stole over fifty pair of jeans, then fled the store. The investigation in this incident is continuing. In the second incident the suspect was detained by store security, and after police arrived, the suspect was arrested.

Vehicle Burglary
April 10 at 8:09 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of S. Mountain walked outside his home and discovered someone had shattered his car window sometime during the night. Several items from inside the vehicle had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 10 at 9:00 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Foothill when he saw a subject loitering whom he recognized from previous contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had several warrants for his arrest. The officer contacted the subject and took him into custody.

Shoplifting
April 10 at 12:23 p.m., an employee of a store in the 100 block of W. Foothill saw a female subject enter the store, removed items from a shelf, then run out of the store without paying for the merchandise. He saw her get into a vehicle and drive out of the parking lot. Officers were called and a search was conducted, but the suspect was not located. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 10 at 3:01 p.m., a sergeant contacted a male subject in the 400 block of S. Myrtle to see if he needed medical help. The sergeant found that the subject was actually heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. The subject was taken into custody. A computer check revealed he also had a warrant for his arrest.

Grand Theft
April 10 at 8:27 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of E. Evergreen called the police to report his UPS package containing a Harley Davidson wheel had been stolen from his front porch sometime during the day. He had called UPS and confirmed that the package had, in fact, been delivered. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 11 at 11:26 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Lincoln arrived home from working all morning and discovered someone had broken a window to their home and gained entry. It is unknown what was taken.

Vehicle Burglary
April 11 at 3:40 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of W. Foothill walked outside his home and discovered someone had burglarized his vehicle sometime during the day. Several items were stolen from inside the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
April 3 at 8:09 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of W. Foothill walked outside his home and discovered someone had entered his unlocked vehicle. His laptop computer was stolen from inside the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
April 4 at 4:01 a.m., the owner of a business in the 100 block of S. Myrtle received an alarm activation on his cellphone for his business. His phone was connected to his store’s surveillance system, so he could see two suspects inside his store attempting to steal the office safe. Being unsuccessful, they fled within one minute after entering. This investigation is continuing. 

Monrovia's Pacific Plate Brewing Named One Of Fastest Growing Craft Breweries

Pacific Plate Brewing Company of Monrovia was one of the fastest craft breweries in the country in 2017, according to the Brewers Association. https://goo.gl/EzNZ6q

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company's Stock Jumps More than 17% Today

The stock in Monrovia's AeroVironment jumped up 17.06% today, to $54.28, on news "that it conducted a successful maritime demonstration of a Puma-Switchblade automated sensor-to-shooter capability from a US Navy Coastal Riverine Craft." https://tinyurl.com/y7wghl33

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Assembly Member: Reimburse Disability Service Businesses For Higher Local Minimum Wages

Assembly member Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has introduced legislation (AB 2623) to increase state reimbursement to developmental disabilities service providers so they can meet local minimum wage laws when those laws require a higher minimum wage than the state minimum wage.

"Time is running out," said Assemblymember Chris Holden. "Without an increase to reimbursement rates to meet local mandates, many developmental disability service providers may have to shut their doors, leading to a shortage of services available to people with disabilities throughout our state."

A Holden press release reports the bill was approved unanimously with bipartisan support in the Assembly Committee for Human Services.

Comment: It sounds as if this bill is designed to solve a problem created by cities that raised their minimum wage. Minimum wage increases are always accompanied by protestations that businesses can easily meet the increase, but here we have Assembly member Chris Holden saying these higher minimum wage laws may force disability service providers "to shut their doors."

It really isn't rocket science: If apples cost more, people buy fewer apples; if employees cost more, employers hire fewer people, or, as Holden suggests, they may just go out of business.

- Brad Haugaard

GoMonrovia Program 'Very Popular,' Tip-A-Cop' for Special Olympics; Neighborhood Conference; Serve on a City Board

In his weekly report, City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ GoMonrovia is "very popular" just a few weeks into the program. The program offers $.50 rides with the car-sharing provider, Lyft, and $1 30-minute rides with the dock-free bike share provider, LimeBike.

You can get three free rides on LimeBike by downloading the LimeBike app, signing up, then clicking the "present" icon to share a referral code with a friend. That'll give you both free rides. The city is working with the company to improve rearranging of the bikes and move them when they're badly parked. You can report an illegally parked bike in the app by clicking the "!" on the home page.

To get the discount on Lyft, enter the promo code "GOMONROVIA" before requesting a ride, make sure your pick-up and drop-off locations are within the Monrovia service area, and make sure that you have selected "Lyft - 4 seats".

The current dial-a-ride program will continue for riders with ADA-related and wheelchair needs, but the fare to ride now costs $.50.

~ The Monrovia Police Department will host a Tip-A-Cop fundraiser to benefit the Special Olympics this Thursday at Claim Jumper Restaurant at 820 W. Huntington Drive, from 5 to 9 p.m. Monrovia Police Officers and LA County Deputies will be servers and all tips will be donated to the Special Olympics.

~ Ninth Annual Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) Neighborhood Conference s scheduled for Saturday, April 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Topics: De-Escalation Simulation with Monrovia Police Department, Neighborhood Treasures with Neighborhood Services Division, GoMonrovia for Suburban Mobility with City Manager Oliver Chi, Building a Better Monrovia with Public Services Director Tina Cherry. Register here: https://goo.gl/8Q9GB7

~ The City is accepting applications to fill positions on the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Community Services Commission, and Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board (MOTAB). Details: https://goo.gl/DzJJEa

- Brad Haugaard

Rat Terrier Seeks Good Home



Inez (A452468) is a sweet 8-year-old rat terrier mix. She is the definition of a lap dog. She loves your warmth and affection, and enjoys being petted. She greets every visitor with a wagging tail and enjoys the treats the volunteers give her. Inez came to us a few weeks ago from the Downey Shelter and is looking for a new loving home.

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

** The Pasadena Humane Society is launching “Kitten Week,” a week-long awareness and action campaign held April 23-29, to encourage community members to spay/neuter, adopt, and get involved. You can find more information at pasadenahumane.org/kittenweek.

The Pasadena Humane Society serves Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Compost and Mulch

Free compost and mulch, Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m. to noon at Monrovia Public Works Yard, 600 S. Mountain. Self serve. Bring ID or Athens bill, sturdy container. Shovels provided. While supplies last. Compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste.

- Brad Haugaard