Weekly Tip - Burglary Prevention for Your Home

Residential burglary prevention continues to be a focus of the Arcadia Police Department. Increased patrol presence, Investigators working surveillance, follow-up on leads/tips, and recovered stolen property, are all pieces to a much larger puzzle when it comes to preventing residential burglaries and property crime. One of the most important pieces to this puzzle is the resident. It is very important to discourage the would be thief and make their job as difficult, time consuming, and as noisy as possible.

Here are a few quick tips to help keep your home safe:

•Close and lock your windows and doors! Thieves look for an easy target.

•Lock your garage door. Thefts from garages are common and it offers ready access to pry tools.

•Keep bushes and shrubs trimmed so that windows and doors are visible.

•Maintain your home and make it looked lived in. Arrange for care if you leave on vacation.

•Don't leave newspapers, mail and door hanger materials in place. Arrange for a trusted friend or neighbor to collect these items for you.

•Know your neighbors! Be familiar with cars, faces and who belongs in your neighborhood.

•Leave different lights on when you leave. Use timers when gone overnight.

•How about a radio with a talk show station tuned in when you are gone?

•Use window stops/pins to prevent windows and sliding doors from being opened.

•Maintain lists of account numbers, valuable item serial numbers and important phone numbers. Duplicate the list and maintain a copy elsewhere. Video or photo your belongings. This aids in property recovery as well as insurance replacement.

•Get an ALARM. Even simple alarms that are not connected to a central system are a deterrent.

•Ask and look for helpful tips. Your local police agency will usually offer home inspections and there are plenty of websites that offer prevention tips and ideas.

•Watch for and REPORT suspicious persons and activity. Most arrests that are made for burglary are not from a report by an alarm company, but rather from a local resident. If you see someone that does not belong in your neighborhood or on a neighbor's property, call the police.

If you return home and believe your home has been burglarized, do not enter the home. Call the police and wait out front. Tell the Dispatcher of your observations and that you have not searched your home. Chances are that the burglar is gone, but you don't want to confront them if avoidable. Entering the home may also destroy certain types of evidence that Officers will be looking for.

Additional tips and information; Crime Doctor. You can also contact the APD Community Outreach Office at (626) 821-2648 for prevention tips and information on Neighborhood Watch.

Arrest of Interest / Crime Trends

Arcadia officers responded to three separate residential burglaries in the south end of town this past Monday evening, all reported after 9:00 p.m.  Not too long after, and in the same general area, an alert resident saw three males entering a yard in the 00 block of Naomi Avenue at about 10:44 p.m. The resident called APD immediately. As officers arrived, the headlights of a parked car adjacent to the property flashed. Officers approached the car and found two men laying down inside the car, one in the driver's seat, and one in the back, both wearing white paper jumpsuits. During the investigation, officers found gloves, a ski mask, flashlights, and other property in the car which was a rental. Coins from Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan were also found in the car. A check of the home did not find any forced entry and the third male was not located either.

Derrick E. Sankers, a 21-year-old Palmdale man, and Antonio R. Watts, a 22-year-old Lancaster man, were both arrested for suspicion of residential burglary and booked at the Arcadia City Jail.

(Derrick E. Sankers / Antonio R. Watts)

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Arrest of Interest / Crime Trends

One of our officers was working burglary suppression in the area of Holly and Longden Avenues yesterday when he stopped a car for vehicle code violations at about 11:00 a.m. After contacting both the driver and passenger, the officer learned the pair had outstanding arrest warrants and the male was on probation for burglary. During the investigation, items of jewelry, a laptop, 28 cell phones, narcotic paraphernalia, burglary tools, identification and a passport in other names, and additional property was found in the car. The officers believed the majority of these items to be stolen property and were able to identify some items as being taken in a recent auto burglary in a nearby city.

Christopher A. Duarte, a 28-year-old Upland man, and Christine L. Beyers, a 35-year-old Rosemead woman, were both arrested and booked at the Arcadia City Jail on felony charges and warrants.

(Christine L. Beyers / Christopher A. Duarte)

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Arrests of Interest / Crime Trends

Patrol officers arrested 5 suspects in two unrelated incidents on Wednesday, May 31st, for suspicion of burglary. One pair of suspects were seen in the Village area of town, driving in the 1100 block of Encanto Drive shortly after 10:00 p.m. When officers conducted a check of the car license plate, a felony "want" was discovered from another police agency. The suspects and vehicle were stopped and during the investigation, officers found items commonly used in burglaries like gloves, a ski mask, and other property.

Carlos D. Figueroa, a 30-year-old man, and Walter Cardenas, a 40-year-old man, both from Los Angeles, were arrested on felony charges including suspicious of burglary and no bail warrants, and they were booked at the Arcadia City Jail.

(Carlos D. Figueroa / Walter Cardenas)

The second case also involved a vehicle stop in the area of Rancho and Hacienda Roads at about 7:00 p.m. by an officer working a burglary suppression detail. During the investigation, officers contacted three men who were also in possession of items associated with the crime of residential burglary. 

Dhmajh J. Tyler, a 20-year-old man from Pasadena, Noah A. Theophile Smith, a 27-year-old man from Altadena, and Antwon D. Shamburger, a 23-year-old man from Pasadena were arrested and booked at the Arcadia City Jail on suspicion of residential burglary. Two of the suspects were also on felony probation.

( Dhmajh J. Tyler / Noah A. Theophile Smith / Antwon D. Shamburger )

While our staff continues to be proactive in crime prevention, we always request our community to partner with us in our efforts. Remember to report suspicious persons, vehicles, or activity. If you See Something, Say Something.

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Trending in Arrests/Crime

Last week, APD released video clips of two suspects wanted for Attempt Residential Burglary. Local media posted the clips and suspect information on television, online, and other news sources. The pair were involved in a "Knock-knock" style, nighttime, attempted residential burglary back on April 1st. The female suspect rang the door bell and when no one answered, the male suspect kicked open the front door, activating the residence audible alarm. The pair fled in a dark colored vehicle, possibly a Toyota Prius. During the commission of the crime, the male suspect appeared to be holding a handgun in his right hand.

Katrina R. Anthony, a 21-year-old female from Highland, turned herself in to Arcadia Police Detectives after becoming aware of her photo being shown by the media. APD had also received tip information identifying Anthony as the possible suspect. Anthony was booked on a felony charge at the Arcadia City Jail and later released after posting bond. The male suspect has yet to be identified.

APD is requesting the public's assistance in locating and identifying the male suspect. Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Trending in Arrests/Crime

During the early morning hours on April 5th, two suspects were seen, by an alert resident, possibly burglarizing cars in a rear car port in the 800 block Fairview Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene, both suspects immediately took off on foot. Additional officers set up a "containment" and during an area search, both suspects were found in bushes at a nearby apartment complex. Officers found property on the suspects that had been taken from the auto burglaries, along with keys to a vehicle they had stolen earlier in their crime spree from the 1100 block Fairview Avenue.

Detectives believe the pair is responsible for multiple vehicle burglaries, thefts from unlocked vehicles, and grand theft autos, which occurred in the same neighborhood in the two days prior to the arrests.

Moises Verduzco, 25-year-old from Los Angeles, and Walter Martinez, 25-year-old from El Monte, were both booked at the Arcadia City Jail on multiple felony charges. Martinez is also currently on Parole.

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Bait package arrest again leads to much more than a parcel theft. Last Thursday morning, officers were alerted to a GPS enabled bait package being taken and quickly located the suspect vehicle in the 300 block of West Duarte Road in Monrovia. Officers tried to stop the suspect vehicle, a small U-Haul box truck, but the driver fled. Officers pursued the vehicle on streets and the 210 freeway, discontinuing the pursuit due to the driver's dangerous actions. At one point, the driver used the truck to collide with and push another vehicle out of the way in order to get around the other vehicle. Dispatchers continued to monitor the GPS location of the bait package, ending up in the City of Azusa. 

With the assistance of the Foothill Air Support Team (FAST), officers from Azusa PD were able to locate and detain both the male driver and a female passenger after they fled from the U-Haul truck, abandoning it in a parking lot in Azusa.

During the investigation, we learned the U-Haul truck had been stolen in the City of Pomona the evening prior to this incident. Inside the truck officers found a bicycle and other evidence taken in an overnight commercial burglary in the City of Monrovia, along with stolen bait package.

Alan G. Alamillo, 39-year-old male from La Verne, and Ilena M. Rutledge, 22-year-old female from Montclair, were arrested and booked on multiple felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail. Alamillo is also believed to be involved in the commercial burglary of a cell phone store in Arcadia back in January.

(Alan G. Alamillo / Ilena M. Rutledge)

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. This past Saturday night to Sunday morning saw a cluster of thefts from unlocked vehicles in the Village area of town off Michillinda Avenue. A couple of the vehicles were reportedly locked, but there was no forced entry found by officers. Cash, credit/debit cards, and a camera were among some of the items taken in the thefts. At least 7 cars were gone through.

Officers recalled detaining a male subject for a similar theft within the last few months in close proximity to this batch of crimes. The subject lives nearby in the unincorporated County area. The officers went to this subject's home and spoke with him, ultimately finding a debit card taken in one of the theft cases from overnight. The subject was arrested and booked on felony charges. However, when the case was presented for filing, the District Attorney's Office felt there was insufficient evidence to proceed at this time and the subject was released. This is not uncommon and means our Investigators will conduct additional follow-up along with submitting physical evidence for forensic examination before presenting the case again. Time restraints do not always allow such investigation before cases are initially presented.

These theft events serve as a good reminder to always remove items of value from your cars and be sure to secure and lock them, even while parked in your driveway or garage. Hide It, Lock It, Keep It!

Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. We have had a couple of "hot prowl" residential burglaries reported in recent weeks. This type of burglary is when someone is home at the time, many times associated with a burglary occurring overnight.

On February 21st, a resident in the 100 block of West Foothill Boulevard was awakened about midnight to someone trying to open a rear sliding door at the home. The resident called APD and watched the suspect make his way into the unlocked garage where he ransacked boxes of property. Officers arrived quickly and detained the male suspect in the driveway of the home.

Phillip F. Valle, a 39-year-old Lancaster man was arrested and booked on felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail.

It is unknown if Valle is responsible for any other crimes in the area. Unlocked homes, garages, vehicles are often targets for thieves looking for an easy way to steal your valuables. Anyone with information on this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Residential burglary continues to be a focus for our crime prevention and awareness efforts. As we posted last week, several arrests for residential burglary have been made in recent weeks. The trend continued this past week with an individual being arrested after burglarizing two homes in close proximity.

Officers were sent to a home in the 900 block Sunset Boulevard during the evening hours on Saturday, February 4th, after the home burglary alarm had been activated. When the officers got to the house, a male exited the home and ran off when officers tried to stop him. The male was quickly caught after a short foot chase. During their investigation, the officers found not only the home on Sunset burglarized, but also a nearby apartment in the 700 block of Fairview Avenue. Property from both residences were recovered during the arrest. In both cases a rear or side window was the point of entry.

Refugio R. Gomez, 51-year-old male from Hesperia was arrested and booked on felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail.

Anyone with information on these cases is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. Refer APD case #17-00641/642.

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Residential Burglary prevention and suspect apprehension continues to be a focus for our staff. In recent weeks, APD has been able to arrest multiple individuals for residential burglary and attempted residential burglary. On Tuesday afternoon, January 31st, another pair of suspects were taken into custody after a home was burglarized in the 1700 block of Louise Avenue.

Witnesses told officers the female suspect approached the home and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she went back to the suspect's car parked on the street. The male suspect got out of the car and walked to the side of the home and came back out a bit later carrying items from the home. Officers later found a side door window broken out where the suspect entered the residence. The pair fled in their car and a description of the car was given to APD by the witnesses.

As the suspects made their attempt to get out of the area, they were involved in a collision in the City of El Monte near Peck and Lower Azusa. Officers caught up to them, took the female into custody at the suspect vehicle and later found the male suspect on foot, during an area search.

Marquise Shorts, 24-year-old male, and Quanae N. Hunter, 18-year-old female, both from Los Angeles, were booked on felony charges at the Arcadia City Jail.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. Refer APD case #17-00556.

Trending in Arrests

Each week, we will post an arrest of interest pointing toward arrest and crime trends within Arcadia. Business and restaurants often utilize GPS enabled currency to aid in recovery and arrest if the establishment is robbed or broken into. We have recently had a couple of commercial burglaries where thieves made off with GPS equipped cash packs, helping lead officers to the suspects location.

During the early morning hours on January 17th, a group of four suspects broke into a restaurant in the 1000 block of South Baldwin Avenue. They smashed the glass on the front door, disabled a CCTV camera, and made off with the cash drawer. The suspects ran to an awaiting car and fled. The GPS device led officers to the four suspects, parked in their getaway vehicle on Peck Road in El Monte.

 Draynesha L. Williams

Rahmiko A. Harris / Jordan E. Hayes

Draynesha L. Williams, 19-year-old-female, Rahmiko A. Harris, 18-year-old male, and Jordan E. Hayes, 19-year-old female, all from Long Beach, along with a 17-year-old male juvenile, were all arrested and booked at the Arcadia City Jail on felony charges.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5156. Or, if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” mobile app on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. APD file number 17-00271.

Two Arrested for Residential Burglary Thursday Morning

The following News Release came out this afternoon, after some great cooperation between both reporting residents, witnesses, Sierra Madre and Arcadia Police Officers, leading to a double arrest for Residential Burglary! We are all in this together...if you See Something, Say Something!

Incident: Residential Burglary Arrests

Contact: Watch Commander- (626) 574-5156

Date/Time of Press Release: January 5, 2017- 5:00 PM

On Thursday, January 5, 2017, at approximately 10:30 AM, officers responded to the report of an audible alarm sounding in a north residential area of the city. Officers located the source of the alarm and discovered a burglary to the residence had occurred. As the incident was being investigated, numerous alert citizens reported that two males were seen running through the yards of several residences. A perimeter was established and the two males were arrested.

Suspect Jayshawn McKnight, 27-years old of Los Angeles and Javon McKnight, a 30- year old transient, were arrested for suspicion of Residential Burglary. Both are being held in custody on $50,000.00 bail each.

This incident is being investigated by Arcadia Police Department Detectives. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5151, reference case #17-0064. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call “Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading “P3 MOBILE APP” on Google Play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Robert T. Guthrie Chief of Police

By: K. Pedersen Operations Sergeant

Weekly Tip - Give Your Alarm a Check-Up?

Do you have an alarm on your home or business? Take the time to check your system and make sure it is in proper working order. Call your alarm monitoring company before testing the alarm system. If there is an issue with the system, get it repaired. Not only will you help avoid false alarm fees, but you will better protect your property.

The City of Arcadia requires alarm permits for all alarm systems. Information on Security Alarm Permits can be found on the City website. The permits help reduce alarm malfunctions and nuisance alarms, as well as maintaining current property owner contact information should there be an issue while you are away from your home or business.

Report Suspicious Activity - Help Prevent Residential Burglary!

The Arcadia Police Department serves a population of approximately 57,000+ residents, numerous business and commercial locations, all within about 11 square miles. As expected, the men and women of the department cannot actively police every square inch of our city at all times. Therefore, more often than not, residents and visitors serve as the eyes and ears for our dispatchers and officers.

Having a large residential community, it is not surprising that some of our most frequent calls for service involve property theft or residential burglary. In most cases, a residential burglary begins with some type of suspicious activity within a neighborhood, often in broad daylight. This activity may range from unknown persons in vehicles perusing the area, to individuals going door to door, determining whether or not residents are home. These individuals will most likely have a driver waiting for them for a quick getaway in case someone begins to question their actions.

The best way to decrease residential burglaries is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Give criminals the message if they are in our neighborhoods, and about to commit a crime, they are being watched – not ignored – through a joint effort by our residents and the police department. 

If you witness suspicious activity in your neighborhood, or see something that doesn't sit right with you, do not simply draw the blinds and turn away; please pick up the phone and call our department’s non-emergency dispatch number at (626) 574-5123 – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Of course, if you witness a crime in progress or have an emergency, always remember to dial 9-1-1.

Neighborhood crime prevention neither begins, nor ends, with a burning porch light. As members of a greater community, we are all responsible for its protection, as safety does not simply end at a property line. Get to know your neighbors and your neighborhood, remain alert, and never hesitate to call our police department. Do not simply assume someone else has called the police - three calls received are better than no calls at all. 

Weekly Tip - Holiday Time Often Sparks Home Burglaries

Over past years, we have seen an uptick in Residential Burglary reports during the holidays. Take a look at the current area crime map above for burglaries having occurred in the last week.

The majority of Arcadia burglaries have been committed during daytime hours. While the Department places additional officers, both in plain cars and marked units in problem areas, we are not always in the right place at the right time. Please remember to be vigilant in both your observation of your neighborhood and with your own home safety and security.

HERE are tips for preventing home burglary. Remember, if you See Something, Say Something!

Stay informed on criminal activity in your area through CrimeMapping.com.