- Brad Haugaard
Nineteen-year-old Monrovian, Shijian Ni, has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly using stolen bank card information at nine Costco stores in Utah. Police say the suspect made or attempted high-value purchases on July 29 at Costco locations in Orem, Lehi, Saratoga Springs, Riverton, Sandy, South Jordan, Murray, West Valley and Salt Lake City. He was arrested the next day at the Sandy Costco after victims reported unauthorized purchases. Officers recovered 15 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, 18 iPad Pros, four iPad Airs, and seven AirPods worth nearly $19,800. Details.
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 30 – August 4, 2026. 400 calls for service, 65 investigations, 3 mental evaluations, 6 traffic collisions, 30 arrests. - Brad Haugaard]
JULY 30
Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
At 1:01 a.m., officers patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle saw a subject in a park after hours. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Public Intoxication / Resist Delay – Suspect Arrested
At 6:30 a.m., while making contact with several subjects in the 300 block of S. Myrtle, officers located a subject who became defensive. An investigation revealed he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.
Theft
At 11:04 a.m., a caller in the area of Maple and California reported cables were taken, causing an internet outage. This investigation is continuing.
Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
At 10:56 p.m., while patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle, an officer saw a subject in a park after hours. He was arrested and taken into custody.
JULY 31
Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
At 2:53 a.m., an officer patrolling the 600 block of S. Shamrock saw a subject in a park after hours and made contact with her. A computer search revealed she had several warrants. She was arrested and taken into custody.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
At 4:57 p.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington called to report a shoplifting incident. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was arrested and taken into custody after the crime had been confirmed.
Shoplifting
At 6:26 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington regarding a shoplifting incident. The subject was gone prior to officers' arrival. This investigation is continuing.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 7:54 p.m., while patrolling the 1600 block of S. Mountain an officer made contact with a subject in a business. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 11:40 p.m., an officer patrolling the 600 block of W. Huntington located a subject behind closed businesses. The officer made contact with the subject. The subject was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and a records check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.
AUGUST 1
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 12:22 a.m., officers were alerted to a disturbance in the 400 block of E. Walnut. Officers arrived and made contact with a male and female subject. The female subject had visible injuries. An investigation revealed the male subject assaulted her. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 1:48 a.m., a disturbance between a couple was reported in the 100 block of W. Fig. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed the victim was battered by his girlfriend during an argument. She was arrested and taken into custody.
Animal Cruelty
At 10:41 a.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported that a client brought her dog into the business for treatment. The employee reported that the dog had suspicious injuries. Pasadena Humane was contacted and this investigation is continuing.
Kidnapping – Suspect Arrested
At 12:23 p.m., a caller reported seeing a male subject grabbing and shaking a female subject in the 100 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and located the victim. An investigation revealed the victim had been involved in an argument with her ex-boyfriend when he grabbed her and forcibly pulled her away from where they had been standing. She was unable to break free until a witness intervened. Officers located the ex-boyfriend a short distance away. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Theft
At 2:00 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of W. Duarte reported her scooter stolen. This investigation is continuing.
AUGUST 2
Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
At 12:54 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Palm and Myrtle saw a subject in a park after hours. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 12:34 a.m., while patrolling the area of Peck and Live Oak an officer saw a bicyclist in violation of a vehicle code. A traffic stop was conducted and the bicyclist was contacted. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of a controlled substance. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.
Vandalism
At 10:06 a.m., an officer patrolling the 300 block of Almond located graffiti on a wall and notifications were made for its removal.
Felony Evading – Suspect Arrested
At 11:11 a.m., while patrolling the area of Peck and Live Oak an officer saw a vehicle in violation of a vehicle code. A traffic stop was attempted, the driver failed to yield and accelerated attempting to evade officers. The driver eventually stopped and a foot pursuit ensued. The driver was taken to the ground and the officer discovered that the driver was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Vehicle Burglary
At 1:09 p.m., a victim in the 100 block of W. Cypress reported that an unknown subject pried open his locked truck bed cover and stole tools. This investigation is continuing.
Grand Theft
At 4:01 p.m., the victim reported that someone stole the catalytic converter off of her Toyota Prius located near Chestnut and Monterey. The vehicle was last used on 07-31-26. This investigation is continuing.
Grand Theft
At 5:04 p.m., the victim at 848 W. Hillcrest reported that sometime overnight, someone stole the catalytic converter off of his Toyota Tacoma. This investigation is continuing.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
At 5:24 p.m., officers responded to 339 N. Alta Vista regarding an intoxicated subject. When officers arrived, the subject was out of the home on the sidewalk. The individual was detained. He was arrested for public intoxication and later released after a sobering period.
Grand Theft Auto
At 9:03 p.m., an officer was dispatched to Diamond and Mayflower regarding a stolen pickup truck. The vehicle had last been seen parked at approximately 5:30 p.m. The officer found broken window glass nearby. This investigation is continuing.
AUGUST 3
Vandalism
At 5:44 a.m., officers responded to a report of vandalism at a school in the 1000 block of S. Canyon. Officers found graffiti on a wall. This investigation is continuing.
Grand Theft
At 8:53 a.m., a victim in the 300 block of Fowler reported the catalytic converter from his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.
Grand Theft
At 9:27 a.m., a resident in the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista reported the catalytic converter to her vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.
Vandalism
At 9:46 a.m., a victim in the 700 block of Ocean View reported that someone slashed one of his vehicle's tires. This investigation is continuing.
Fight
At 11:04 a.m., a caller in the 900 block of W. Duarte reported a fight between two subjects. As officers arrived, both subjects ran from the scene. They were located a short distance away. Both subjects had injuries and both refused prosecution. This investigation is continuing.
Fraud
At 11:33 a.m., a victim in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported his bank card stolen and money was taken. This investigation is continuing.
Fraud
At 11:41 a.m., a resident in the 1600 block of S. Mayflower reported that unknown subjects opened two loans in her name. This investigation is continuing.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 4:18 p.m., an officer patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw two suspicious subjects and made contact with them. A computer search revealed one of the subjects had two no bail warrants. Further investigation revealed he was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.
AUGUST 4
Grand Theft Auto
At 2:30 a.m., a caller in the 700 block of E. Foothill reported his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 5:56 a.m., a dispute between a female and male subject was reported in the 700 block of California. Officers arrived and located a female subject with injuries to her face. An investigation revealed the male subject got upset and kicked her in the face. She was transported to a hospital for treatment and he was arrested and taken into custody.
Theft by False Pretenses
At 1:38 p.m., an employee from a business walked into the MPD lobby to report a gift card scam. She had received an email from someone pretending to be the company's CEO who asked her to buy gift cards and send the information back via email. This investigation is continuing.
Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
At 4:44 p.m., an officer patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington saw four subjects who had previously been removed from the location. The officer made contact with the subjects. Three subjects were cited and released at the scene. One of the subjects was found to have a warrant for her arrest; she was arrested and taken into custody.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 6:12 p.m., a victim in the 100 block of E. Fig reported her boyfriend, who had just been released from jail for domestic violence, came back, hit her and fled on foot. Officers arrived and located the suspect a short distance away. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
At 6:22 p.m., an employee from a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported two female subjects entered the store, stole merchandise and fled. Dispatch alerted a nearby business of the incident. While speaking with dispatch, an employee at that business saw the suspects enter the store and steal merchandise. Officers arrived and located the suspects. They were arrested and taken into custody.
COMMUNITY ALERTS
Street Sweeping Parking Enforcement Update
The City is making a change to how street sweeping parking restrictions are enforced.
For years, residents have been allowed to move their vehicles back into posted "No Parking" areas once the street sweeper passed, even while the parking restriction period was still in effect. This practice created inconsistency, and the Monrovia Police Department is moving to enforce posted signage as written. Moving forward, citations will be issued for the full posted no-parking window, regardless of whether the sweeper has already come through.
No changes are being made to posted times, signs, or routes, only to how the hours are applied and signage is enforced.
Catalytic Converter Thefts Alert
Protect your vehicle by following the prevention tips in the attached flyer and reporting suspicious activity to the Monrovia Police Department.
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
August 4 Monrovia City Council special meeting, summarized by AI.
• Library renovation bid documents are out, with more than 20 contractors attending the pre-bid meeting; council approval expected in September. The community center RFP is expected within weeks, with council approval likely in October. 222 E. Cypress is also out to bid.
• LA County’s point-in-time homeless count showed Monrovia’s unsheltered population rose from 9 to 15, but sheltered persons jumped from 0 to 27, largely due to the Pathway Home project. Improvised encampments fell from 21 to 13. Officials cited a positive long-term declining trend.
• The Pathway Home shelter program, closed in February, served 52 people; most moved to permanent supportive housing in Baldwin Park. Mayor Shevlin asked for a follow-up report on those residents’ long-term housing status.
• West Nile virus was detected in a dead bird in Monrovia — the city’s first positive. The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District has launched a sterile mosquito pilot program. Residents who find dead birds and suspect West Nile should contact the district, here.
• Mayor Shevlin was named vice chair of the L.A. County City Selection Committee, which coordinates countywide board appointments. She and Mayor Pro Tem Jimenez were designated Monrovia’s voting delegate and alternate for the 2026 League of California Cities Annual Assembly.
• Vons supermarket marked its 40th anniversary. The Burr House had its grand opening, with Café Viola expected to open soon for breakfast, brunch, and dinner. The restaurant was described as unlike anything else in Monrovia or the San Gabriel Valley.
• Upcoming events: final SPOT teen session Friday at Library Park (5 p.m., grades 6–12); Wicked for Good movie night Aug. 8 at Recreation Park; Bumptown band Aug. 9 at Library Park; Kids Crafts in the Canyon Aug. 22 (10 a.m.–1 p.m.); family hike and campout Aug. 29–30; Fountain to Falls run/walk Sept. 19 (registration opens Aug. 17).
• The summer intern program concluded with well-received presentations; intern coordinator Haley received particular praise. The city’s eight-week summer high school pool partnership also wrapped up.
• Council expressed condolences on the passing of the aunt of Assistant City Manager Lauren Vasquez.
Complete meeting video here.
- Brad Haugaard
Number of views on MonroviaNow - July 7 - Aug. 2.
MonroviaNow started as an experiment 16 years ago. I had been a newspaper reporter - including some time next door at the little Arcadia Tribune - but when the Internet came along it was clear that newspapers were in deep trouble and I was concerned about how people in smaller cities would learn what was going on in their communities. So I started MonroviaNow.Part One of the experiment was to provide news. I've been doing that ever since and I think it has worked out fairly well.
But the other part of the experiment is financing. I enjoy doing it, even for free, but it is unclear if it can sustain itself as a business instead of just being a one-man charity. For that reason I'm introducing simple text-only ads as Part Two of the experiment.
These ads are intended to be family friendly (think "Leave it to Beaver" family friendly) and will be displayed in the left column of the desktop version of MonroviaNow; not on the mobile version or on social media. These are simple text ads, each in its own box, not the super annoying ads that appear between every paragraph of an article.
This last month, July, MonroviaNow had 909,537 page views, though that includes views from mobile devices. And, sorry, I don't have the percentage of desktop vs. mobile.
If you are interested in advertising (It's still experimental, so be patient), click HERE.
Thanks,
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
If summer had a mascot, Rocco would be it! This 5-year-old pittie is pure love and has his summer priorities perfectly sorted: splash in the pool, eat some snacks, get plenty of scratches, and lounge around with his favorite people.
Rocco is a gentle, happy guy who knows how to sit and shake, loves a good treat, and will happily nudge you with his nose when you stop petting him before he's ready. Now all he needs is a summer sidekick of his own. Come meet Rocco at Pasadena Humane and make this hot dog part of your summer plans!
And there's no better time to adopt — now through August 9, adoption fees for dogs and cat 6 months and older, like Rocco, are waived at Pasadena Humane as part of the Hot Dog & Cool Cat Summer adoption promotion.
The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.
Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.
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.
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.
- Brad Haugaard
This photo, from around 1960, shows a new and used Pontiac car dealership on Huntington Drive. From the Dick Singer collection. See full details here.
For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
Also, drop by America's Job Center of California at the Monrovia Community Adult School at 920 S. Mountain Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday or Wednesday, or from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday.
And some more links for nearby:
LA County
And even more general:
CalJOBS (state employment)
- Brad Haugaard
The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments' Efficient San Gabriel Valley program is offering free home energy evaluations for Monrovia-area residents. Appointments include a 30–45-minute discussion with SGVCOG staff and a free, personalized energy-savings report. Free in-person and online evaluations are available. Details.
- Brad Haugaard