The Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Association

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Hermosa Beach Crime Reports -  compiled by Whitney Youngs of The Beach Reporter.

The Beach Reporter - October 28, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (10/28)

STOLEN PURSE. A woman reportedly stole a purse valued at $300 in the 2700 block of Pacific Coast Highway Oct. 7 between 9:30 and 9:40 p.m. The victim told police a man and woman had left the restaurant where she was eating and officers stopped two people matching that description in the 700 block of Gould Avenue. The man told police that while in the restaurant, the victim demanded the man give back her purse. He told her he didn't know what she was talking about and tried to walk away. Police asked the female with him about it and she denied that the whole verbal exchange even occurred. Finally, the woman admitted to stealing the purse and said, "I've had my purse stolen four or five times and it's not a good feeling. I wanted someone to feel the same way." The victim positively identified the woman and had police place her under a private person's arrest.

MISSING PASSPORT. A passport of a man valued at $80 went missing in the 700 block of Fifth Street between Feb. 1 and 29. The man reported the incident Oct. 10. He told officers that he lives in Portland and is separated from his wife. He visits his daughter in California a few times a month at the Redondo Beach Police Station because his wife has a restraining order against him. In March, the man asked about the whereabouts of the passport and his wife said she had it. He later asked for its return and had yet to receive it.

TRESPASSING. A man was reportedly arrested after refusing to leave a bar on the pier plaza Oct. 16 at 9:30 p.m. Officers responded to a man who was intoxicated, would not leave one of the plaza's establishments and was argumentative with its staff members. He walked to the front entrance but refused to go any farther. Police arrested him for trespassing and public intoxication.

STOLEN CAR. A 1995 Chevrolet Camaro was reportedly stolen from a private underground garage in the first block of 15th Street between the hours of 8:45 p.m. Oct. 11 and 7:14 a.m. Oct. 12. The victim went down to the garage to look for her wallet and discovered that her car had been stolen. She immediately called police. Police noticed that her roommates' car doors (the car was parked in front of the space once occupied by the stolen car) were slightly ajar and unlocked. The victim's roommate noticed nothing missing except for the ignition key to the car that she kept in the center console.

The Beach Reporter - October 21, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (10/21)

ANNOYING CALLS. A man reportedly called a woman living in the 400 block of Hermosa Avenue he met over the Internet several times in an annoying manner Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. The woman told police she belongs to Match.com, a dating service Web site, and has been in contact with the man via the exchange of e-mails and phone calls. The two people scheduled to meet, which was later cancelled and rescheduled. Since then, the man has been calling the woman at her home and on her cellular phone, and she told him to stop calling because she no longer wants to meet him. The woman said she received a voicemail from the man and on it he greeted her, identified himself and said, "I thought I'd check in with you from time to time. You may want to consider changing your number." The woman is concerned for her safety because the man knows the general area of where she lives and exactly where she works.

STOLEN BIKE. A bicycle valued at $400 was reportedly stolen from a private garage in the 1600 block of Ardmore Avenue between 7 a.m. Oct. 18 and 4 p.m. Oct. 19. The victim told police he locked the bike to a cement pillar with a cable lock and returned from work to find the bike missing from the garage.

FRAUD. An unknown person reportedly used a debit card in a fraudulent manner at 90 and 68 Pier Ave. between 9 p.m. Oct. 16 and 1 a.m. Oct. 17. The victim said he used his USAA debit card at the Bank of America ATM machine on the pier plaza to take out $60. Around 1 a.m. he noticed the card missing and on Oct. 19 called a representative with the company. The representative told him that the suspect withdrew $100 from the ATM with the card and paid a bill at a nearby restaurant in the amount of $40. The card doesn't need a pin number to access cash from the ATM and the victim believes he left it there.

DVD THEFT. A series of rented DVDs were reportedly stolen from a video store in the 700 block of Pier Avenue between 8 p.m. Sept. 30 and 8 p.m. Oct. 1. The manager told police he conducted an inventory of the store's collection Sept. 30 and all DVDs were accounted for. He did the same the next day and noticed 27 DVDs, mostly from the "New Releases" section, were missing. The total value of the DVDs stolen is about $400. The suspect(s) were able to jimmy open the locked cases and steal the discs.

STOLEN COUCH. A heavy teakwood couch valued at $1,200 was reportedly stolen from an apartment lobby in the 400 block of Second Street between 4 and 7 a.m. Oct. 17. The property manager noticed the couch missing from the lobby, which would require a few people to move it because it was so heavy. Police noticed no forced entry to the lobby, which requires a pass code to access the door, and believe the couch could have been moved out of a rear entrance.

The Beach Reporter - October 14, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (10/14)

CAR DAMAGE. The front window and hood of a 1990 BMW were reportedly damaged in the first block of Monterey Boulevard between 4 p.m. Sept. 25 and 7 p.m. Sept. 26. The victim parked her car and returned to find the damage. The estimated cost to fix it is $1,100.

CAR BURGLARY. A 2001 Volvo was reportedly burglarized in the 1100 block of Aviation Boulevard Sept. 27 between 4:50 and 5 p.m. The victim parked the car to pick up her daughter from dance class and returned to find the front passenger window had been smashed. The burglar(s) stole the victim's purse and cellular phone.

STOLEN BIKE. A bicycle stored in an open private garage in the 2100 block of Hermosa Avenue was reportedly stolen between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 29. The victim left the bicycle in the garage unlocked with a car cover wrapped around which was also stolen. The worth of both items is valued at $740 total.

ANNOYING PHONE CALLS. A woman living in the 800 block of Third Street reportedly received several annoying phone calls between Aug. 16 and Sept. 22 at 4:30 p.m. The victim told police that she received the first call Aug. 16 on her cellular phone. The caller was a man who talked about her breasts and made other sexual references. The man then hung up, and later called back and made similar references. The call was blocked so the victim could not call the suspect back. On Sept. 22, the victim received another phone call and the voice was the same as before. The woman asked who the caller was and he said, "Ricardo." The suspect did make reference to her breasts again and talked to her in a lewd manner. He then hung up, called back again and left a message on her voicemail. The woman said the only contact she has had with strangers who might have her cellular number are two men who recently installed a garage door at her residence.

The Beach Reporter - October 7, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (10/7)

STRONG-ARM ROBBERY. A man was reportedly knocked unconscious and his watch taken in the 3000 block of The Strand by three men Sept. 25 at 1:30 a.m. The victim told police he was walking back from the downtown area when he observed three men walking toward him. One of the men said, "Where are you going?" and the victim replied, "Home." The victim walked around the three men when all of a sudden he was hit in the head from behind. The man fell to the ground and his face hit the cement. The man then got back up to defend himself but the three suspects began punching him. He was knocked to the ground a second time and lay unconscious. The man believes he was unconscious for an hour and when he came to, he noticed his watch was missing from his wrist. The man told police a Manhattan Beach Police officer assisted him and he was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital for his injuries. Hermosa Beach Police contacted the local dispatch officers, which have no record of a Manhattan Beach Police officer contacting anyone on the day of the incident. The man had a staple in his head, abrasions on his face and a few chipped teeth. The victim said he needed to file a report for insurance purposes. The watch is valued at $200.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked inside a closed garage in the 3100 block of Palm Drive was reportedly burglarized between 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and 6 a.m. Sept. 29. The victim told police she parked her 2004 BMW in her private garage, left the car unlocked and closed the garage. The victim returned the next day to find her cellular phone, 50 CDs and various cellular phone accessories were missing which were valued at $900. She believes the burglar(s) pried open the garage because the door was off its track and needed to be repaired.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY. A fitness club in the 1100 block of Pacific Coast Highway was reportedly the scene of an attempted burglary between 9:15 p.m. Oct. 1 and 8 a.m. Oct. 2. An employee arrived at the club the following morning to unlock the business, and noticed scratch marks on and two screws missing from the glass double doors. Near the doors was a paper grocery bag filled with empty beer cans. Police believe the suspect(s) used an unknown tool, possibly a screwdriver, to try and disable the locking mechanism of the front doors.

GRAND THEFT. A bag containing clothing, a cellular phone and a camera was reportedly stolen off the beach at the 1200 block of The Strand Sept. 28 between 10 and 10:30 a.m. The victim told police she left the bag on the beach and covered it with a shirt while she left to swim in the ocean. She was gone for a half-hour and returned to find her bag missing.

CAR BURGLARIES. Three cars were reportedly burglarized at the site of a car business in the 900 block of Pacific Coast Highway between Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 28 at 11:30 a.m. The owner left for the day and locked all of the cars. When he returned, he discovered that three cars (1995 Honda Prelude, 1974 Porsche 911 and 1993 Geo Tracker) had been burglarized and their stereos stolen. The owner noticed pry marks on the cars and the Porsche's driver's side window had been smashed. A pair of scissors lay on the seat in the Porsche that were not there before and all of the wires connecting the stereos had been cut.

The Beach Reporter – September 30, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (9/30)

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly attempted to open a Dell computer account using the name and Social Security number of a person living on Monterey Boulevard. The incident was reported Sept. 21 when the victim received a phone call from Dell confirming the account when the company's credit office became suspicious and called the victim.

FORGERY. A man reportedly issued several checks to a construction worker who has yet to finish work on his house in the 300 block of Eighth Street. The victim reported the crime Sept. 20. The victim told police he saw the suspect working on a house in his area and hired the man to so some work on his house. The victim paid the man three separate times for a total amount of $6,500. The job was to be completed for a total of $8,500. The victim was notified by a collection agency that a concrete company will put a lien on the man's house if an unpaid balance for used materials is not received. The suspect never paid the concrete company for the materials used in the house. The job is three-fourths completed. The man called the company the suspect said he works for, and an employee there told him the suspect is a former employee and has not been with the company for several months.

CAR BURGLARY. A van parked in the 1100 block of Aviation Boulevard was reportedly burglarized Sept. 21 between 6 and 7 p.m. The victim returned to her car to find that the passenger side window had been smashed and her purse was missing. The van's doors were locked and the alarm activated.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked in a closed garage in the 1700 block of Golden Avenue was reportedly burglarized between 8:30 p.m. Sept. 23 and 8 a.m. Sept. 24. The victim returned to his car to find his soccer ball in the passenger's seat and several bags appeared to have been rummaged through. The burglar(s) stole a Game Boy and a $5 roll of quarters totaling $80 in value.

GRAND THEFT. Two saws and a drill were reportedly stolen from a truck parked in a private driveway in Hermosa Beach between 5 p.m. Sept. 22 and 6:30 a.m. Sept. 23. The victim locked the tools in his toolbox attached to the bed of his truck. He returned to the car the next morning and noticed the lid open. The stolen tools are valued at about $640.

The Beach Reporter – September 23, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (9/23)

POSSESSION OF PILLS. A man was reportedly arrested in the 2100 block of Beach Drive after he ran a stop sign on his bike and admitted to having an open container of beer Sept. 19 at 5.55 p.m. Officers found prescription pills in his possession that were not prescribed to him. An officer saw the suspect fail to stop at the stop sign at 22nd Street and Hermosa Avenue, stopped the man on Beach Drive and asked to see some identification. The officer then asked him if he had anything illegal on him and the man said, "You can't stop me from running the stop sign." The officer noticed his posture was rigid and he seemed nervous. The man had with him a backpack and the officer asked if he could look through it. The man refused, and the officer asked again and told him if he had nothing illegal in the backpack then he had nothing to worry about. The man said he had a 40-ounce beer inside and the officer asked him if it was open. The man said, "It's cracked." Because the man ran a stop sign and had an open container of alcohol in his possession, the officer took hold of the backpack and the man pulled it away from the officer and said, "You're gonna arrest me for having a beer now?" The man refused to get off the bike and so the officer instructed him to place his hands behind his head and the man once again refused. The man struggled with the officer while he attempted to arrest him. The officer found the prescription bottle and inside of it a plastic bag with three blue pills. The officer also found a small smoking pipe commonly used for smoking methamphetamines.

CASHED CHECKS. A total of three personal checks belonging to two women living in the 800 block of Fourth Street were reportedly cashed fraudulently last month. The incident was reported Sept. 18 after the victim noticed that two checks from her aunt's account and one check from her account were cashed for a grand total of $575.

FORGERY. Someone working for a man living in the 500 block of Monterey Boulevard reportedly cashed several fraudulent checks between July 14 and Sept. 18. The suspect who had been working as a maintenance employee for the victim for the past two years asked him for an advance of $480. The victim agreed and wrote him a check but the man never returned to work. In July, the victim received his business bank account statement and noticed a check in the amount of $260 cashed by the suspect. The victim checked his personal account and noticed the suspect cashed three checks from that account.

BURGLARY. A car parked in a public garage in the 1300 block of Hermosa Avenue was reportedly burglarized Sept. 17 between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. The victim accidentally left her keys in the keyhole to her trunk, and the burglar(s) stole her laptop and purse for a total value of $5,020.

STOLEN BREW. A man reportedly stole a 20-pack of Budweiser beer from a convenience store in the 400 block of Pacific Coast Highway Sept. 16 at 2:42 a.m. The man entered the store, grabbed a 20-pack of beer valued at $19 from the store's cooling case and brought it to the front of the store. The clerk said he could not sell it to the man because it was after 2 a.m. The suspect then bought a pack of cigarettes and as the clerk turned around to pick out the pack he saw the man hug the female suspect and noticed they were talking. The suspect paid for his cigarettes with a credit card as the female suspect left the store. The male suspect returned to the beer section, grabbed another 20-pack and then ran out of the store without paying. The man climbed into a yellow Jeep the woman was driving and the two suspects fled the scene.

The Beach Reporter – September 16, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (9/16)

CARJACKING. A woman was reportedly carjacked by her former boyfriend in the 1000 block of Ninth Street Sept. 14 at 5:45 p.m. A witness who knows the woman and is aware that she is having issues with her ex saw the victim being dragged by the suspect as she held onto the driver's side door. The victim later identified the suspect as her ex and was transported to a nearby hospital for her injuries.

GRAND THEFT. A bike valued at $1,000 was reportedly stolen from the 1000 block of Monterey Boulevard between 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 and 9:15 a.m. Sept. 11. The victim put his bike in the garage after he finished washing it and left it there unlocked. From his balcony, he noticed a silver or white truck in front of his home with a bike that looked just like his in the bed of it. He walked downstairs to see if it was his bike and noticed his bike missing from the garage.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly used the personal information - name and Social Security number - of a Hermosa Beach man to open up a Verizon phone account. The man received three different collection notices in the amount of about $922, $1,328 and $193.

GRAND THEFT. A woman reportedly stole several items belonging to her landlord after she was evicted from her apartment in the 300 block of Bayview Drive between an unknown date and time, and about 10 a.m. Sept. 10. The tenant had lived at the location for about three years. The landlord had experienced ongoing problems with the woman and finally evicted her. The woman reportedly stole several items - a cabinet, stove, refrigerator and dresser - from the furnished apartment valued at $2,100.

FRAUD. A man reportedly paid a vendor at Fiesta Hermosa in the 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue for a homemade chess set with a debt access card belonging to a closed bank account between the hours of 11 a.m. and noon Sept. 6. The victim's son was operating the booth when the suspect bought the chess set for $298. The victim later took the debt card to the bank and an employee told her that the account had been closed.

The Beach Reporter – September 10, 2004

 Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (9/10)

BURGLARY. A residence in the first block of 19th Street was reportedly burglarized between the hours of 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Sept. 4. According to police, the victim left his home for a neighbor's party leaving his wallet and $3,000 in cash on his nightstand. The victim always leaves his sliding glass patio door open. He returned later that night and noticed nothing missing until he counted his cash later and discovered that $2,000 was gone.

VANDALISM. A business in the 1100 block of Aviation Boulevard was reportedly vandalized between 6 p.m. Sept. 3 and 9 a.m. Sept. 7. The owner of the business closed the store and returned to find his front display window smashed. The estimated damage is $300.

AUTO BURGLARIES. Two cars parked at a business in the 300 block of Pacific Coast Highway were reportedly burglarized between 5 p.m. Sept. 6 and 8:20 a.m. Sept. 7. The owner's wife stopped by the business and noticed that nothing had been disturbed. The owner returned the next day to find that a 1994 Nissan Maxima and a 1997 Honda Accord were burglarized and their stereos stolen which were valued at $300. The damage to the windows and dash is about $600.

HOME BURGLARY. A residence in the 3000 block of Manhattan Avenue was reportedly burglarized between 9 p.m. Sept. 2 and 10:39 a.m. Sept. 7. The victim told police she left for a long weekend trip and returned to find her front door ajar. She entered her apartment, heard a noise and left to call police. Officers conducted a search of the home. The victim later looked around and found nothing missing or ransacked. She did remember leaving a bedroom window open but said she remembers closing and locking the front door.

WRONG CAR. A man was arrested after he reportedly drank too much and punched out the window of a car parked in the 1400 block of Hermosa Avenue he mistook for the one he was driving the night of Sept. 8 at 2:39 a.m. According to police, officers responded to a call of a car theft in progress. They arrived at the scene to find that the man had smashed the window of a Ford Bronco and was sleeping in the rear of the car. After several attempts, police woke up the man and he finally exited the car. Officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol on the man's breath. He told police that the car belonged to his brother and he didn't want to drive home drunk. The man told police the car was either registered under his mom or brother's name but when they ran a check the car was actually under a different name. The man also said he smashed the car's window because the keys were inside but officers only found a set of BMW keys. Police believe the man smashed the window of a wrong car, and arrested him for vandalism and public intoxication.

The Beach Reporter – September 2, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (9/2)

BURGLARY. The construction site at Hermosa Valley School was reportedly burglarized between midnight July 31 and 6 a.m. Aug. 3 where the unknown suspect(s) stole numerous tools with an estimated worth of between $50,000 and $75,000. The burglar(s) entered the site and used bolt cutters to try and cut a padlock to the site's storage containers. Police believe the cutters broke and became inoperative, and the suspect(s) resorted to a cutting torch to open two large storage containers and remove numerous tools. The suspect(s) then entered a building on site and used the same method to steal additional tools. Hermosa Beach police arrested a Santa Ana man Aug. 26 in connection with the theft.

ASSAULT. A grocery store picketer in the 700 block of Pier Avenue reportedly assaulted two men Feb. 18 at 7:23 p.m. The two victims tried to enter the store to do some shopping when the suspect stepped in front of them and blocked the entrance. He told the men they should shop at another store in the area in which employees there had settled their labor dispute. The two men refused and continued to walk into the store. The suspect began cursing at them and called them "Motherf**kers," told them to "Go F**k themselves," and "You're not getting by me." The victims continued walking when the suspect used his hands and pushed each man forcefully in the chest. The men finally got past the suspect into the store and called police. The men declined to press charges and an officer safely escorted them out of the shopping center.

FRAUD. An unknown person reportedly completed a fraudulent transaction from a woman's bank account in the 1400 block of Pacific Coast Highway between July 6 and 8. The woman received her bank statement and noticed a charge for $700 that she did not make. She contacted the bank's fraud department, which told her to file a report with the local branch and the police department. Since then, the woman has closed her account and transferred her funds. She doesn't know who made the charge but did tell police she had problems with a former boyfriend about a year ago.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person used the personal information of a woman living in Hermosa Beach to open a cellular account in November 2001. The victim reported the crime Aug. 16 when she was notified by mail about an account with Nextel that had fallen into collections in the amount of about $1,250. The woman told police she never opened the account and the company told the victim a woman living in Van Nuys opened it.

BURGLARY. An unknown person reportedly stole cash totaling $980 from a business in the 1100 block of Pacific Coast Highway between 5 p.m. Aug. 15 and 8 a.m. Aug. 16. According to police, an employee notified the owner that the cash from the weekend's sales was missing which is always hidden underneath the counter in a discreet place. The employee noticed the money missing and contacted the employees who closed the night before and said they left the money in the same place as usual. The victim suspects that a former employee used an old key to enter the business and took the money.

The Beach Reporter – August 26, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (8/26)

VANDALIZED SIGN. An unknown person reportedly vandalized a business sign in the first block of Pier Avenue between 7 p.m. July 21 and 10 a.m. July 22. The damage is estimated at $500.

FORGED CHECK. A woman reportedly cashed a forged check from the bank account of a man who lives in the 800 block of Third Street July 22. The victim noticed a discrepancy in his account and called his bank to discover that a woman cashed the check in the amount of $100.

STOLEN CHECKS. El Segundo Police reportedly arrested a man who had in possession two government-issued checks in the amount of $8 and $22 of a man living in the 400 block of The Strand.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked on Cypress Avenue was reportedly burglarized July 20. The victim parked his car on private property in front of his residence and returned to discover the burglar(s) stole a pair of sunglasses, 64 CDs and a CD case all valued at slightly more than $1,050.

BATTERY ARREST. On Aug. 20 at about 2:10 a.m., Redondo Beach officers were returning to the city through Hermosa Beach after an assignment. The officer stopped to assist people asking for help in the 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue. The witnesses told the officer that a suspect had just battered the victim in front of a restaurant with a wooden chair. The suspects fled north on Hermosa Avenue as the officer had approached. The officer located one of two suspects, detained him, positively identified him and arrested him. At about 2:40 a.m., a Redondo Beach sergeant who responded to assist found the second suspect on 14th Street east of Hermosa Avenue.

The Beach Reporter – August 19, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (8/19)

THEFT. A car parked in the 100 block of 34th Street was reportedly burglarized between 8 p.m. July 22 and 9 a.m. July 23. According to police, the victim parked his car in his carport, left the car unlocked and walked into his home. He returned to find his glove box open and his flashlight missing. He checked his car and found his girlfriend's car keys missing, along with a battery charger and a spare wallet with a MasterCard inside of it. The man cancelled the credit card. The stolen items are valued at $155.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly used the personal information - name, previous address, date of birth and Social Security number - of a woman living in the 3400 block of The Strand to apply for a bank account at 3 p.m. July 20. The bank called the victim and informed her of the bank application. The woman told police she believes her personal information is compromised due to the loss of her wallet a month ago.

THEFT. A backpack was reportedly stolen off the beach at 16th Street near the lifeguard tower July 19 at 6:30 p.m. The victim told police he left his bag alone for no longer than 10 minutes. The pack contained his wallet and prescription glasses for a total loss of about $330.

DEBIT CARD CLAIM. An unknown person reportedly used the bank check card of a woman living in the 600 block of Eighth Street to make 14 unauthorized transactions between May 21 and June 14. The woman reported the incident to police July 19 after the bank reviewed the claim for the transactions and denied her claim. The bank's fraud department advised the victim to file a report with police.

The Beach Reporter – August 12, 2004

 Crime Watch (8/12) - Hermosa Beach

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly used the personal information of a person living on Longfellow Avenue to open a cellular phone account with Cingular during an unknown time. The victim, who is a Cingular customer, told police she received a phone call from a representative from Cingular's fraud division who informed her about the new account and wanted to verify the transaction.

FORGED CHECK. An unknown person reportedly walked into a bank in Hawthorne and cashed a forged check belonging to a person living in the 700 block of Third Street July 22. The victim reported the crime July 26 after noticing a discrepancy in his bank account. The suspect cashed a check in the amount of $100 with the victim's forged signature.

The Beach Reporter – August 5, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (8/5)

GROCERY STORE THEFT. A man reportedly walked into a grocery store in the 1100 block of Pacific Coast Highway and attempted to steal several packages of beef jerky July 26 at 10:50 a.m. A store employee saw the man milling around and appeared to be looking around to see if anyone was watching him. The employee then saw him cut through a closed checkout lane and noticed the beef jerky inside a white plastic bag the suspect was carrying. The employee also noticed two cans of beer. The employee confronted the man and said, "You have a choice: You can give back the stuff you took or I can call the police." The man then gave the employee three packages of beef jerky. Police later detained the man near PCH and Pier Avenue where the employee positively identified the man. The employee didn't know whether the man stole the beer from the store as well since the surveillance tape does not show the man visiting the beer section of the store.

THROWN OUT. A man was reportedly assaulted by four men outside a bar in the 700 block of Pier Avenue between 11 and 11:30 p.m. July 17. The victim told police he was sitting at the bar on a stool inside the establishment when the men grabbed the victim off his feet and pushed him out of the building. Outside, the men pushed him to the ground. The victim believes the four men are bouncers and he asked why they threw him out but no one answered him. The bouncers later said the victim could go back inside the bar. The man said the four men left bruising on his arm and chest after they hit him there with a flashlight. The man told police he waited until July 21 to file the report because he didn't know what to do.

STOLEN STEPPINGSTONES. A group of seven landscape steppingstones were reportedly stolen from the 500 block of Pine Street between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. July 10. The new tenant of the residence noticed a car parked in the driveway and the driver walking around the property. The tenant does not know if the stones were inside the car since it was filled with numerous objects and items. The stolen stones are valued at $1,400.

FORGERY. An unknown person reportedly forged two checks and fraudulently withdrew money in the amount of about $1,660 from a man's bank account in the 1400 block of Pacific Coast Highway between 6 a.m. June 7 and midnight June 30. The man reported the crime July 21 after he received his monthly statement, and noticed two unauthorized checks and two unauthorized withdrawals.

Redondo Beach

BOARDWALK DRUNK. On Aug. 1 at about 2:50 p.m., officers arrived at Quality Seafood on the International Boardwalk because dispatch had received a call regarding a disruptive patron who refused to leave and was acting belligerent. Officers contacted the intoxicated suspect, who was bothering staff and other patrons. During the encounter, some patrons began to cheer, wanting the officers to take him into custody. Officers attempted to coordinate his removal with his family, but the suspect became increasingly antagonistic and challenged other patrons and officers to fight. He also threw food and drinks from a table. When the officers attempted to take the intoxicated suspect into custody on the crowded restaurant patio, the suspect resisted and attempted to swing at one officer. Three officers struggled with the suspect for several minutes attempting to take him into custody. Officers responded from throughout the city to ensure crowd control. The suspect was arrested for being drunk in public and resisting arrest.

DRUG BUST. On Aug. 1 at about 12:50 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for failing to display license plates. The officer determined that the car had not been registered in the last six months and towed the car. During an inventory search of the vehicle, he found a bag claimed by and containing identification for one of the passengers. The bag contained a plastic bag with more than a hundred prescription pills and indications that the person was selling the drugs. The officer arrested and transported the person to the Redondo Beach jail for booking. During a search in the jail, the officer found approximately 2-1/2 ounces of methamphetamine concealed in the person's clothing, cash and additional evidence of sales. The person later admitted to selling drugs.

CARJACKING. On July 28 at about 9:30 p.m., officers responded to an apparent traffic collision near the Marie Callender's Restaurant where Redondo Beach and Artesia boulevards meet. When the first officer arrived on scene, she found a passenger of a vehicle holding the driver of the same vehicle with a tire iron across his neck. The driver had multiple knife wounds to the torso and was struggling with the passenger. Officers took three suspects into custody from the vehicle and determined that the driver, who was being choked with the tire iron, was the suspect. The suspect driver had been involved in a stabbing incident in the Los Angeles Police Department jurisdiction near 165th Street and Vermont Avenue. He ran from the scene of his stabbing and allegedly armed with his own knife carjacked the vehicle with the other two occupants. He threatened to kill the two occupants of the vehicle and demanded that they take him to the beach. When they reached the area of Artesia and Hawthorne boulevards, one of the victims overpowered him with the tire iron to the throat and caused the vehicle to crash into a wall of a nearby business. One victim was transported to an area hospital, and the suspect was taken to another hospital with his stab wounds and other injuries. Los Angeles Police Department officials took custody of the suspect.

The Beach Reporter – July 29, 2004

 Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (7/29)

PEEPING NEIGHBOR. An 18-year-old man was reportedly arrested for peeping in a window in the 2100 block of Monterey Boulevard July 25 at 1:55 a.m. The victim told police that he and his girlfriend were having sex when they heard a noise outside the bedroom window. He turned on the lights and opened the window to find the man peering into it. The man then fled the scene, and the victim grabbed a flashlight and went outside. He searched the area for the man but to no avail, but found a blue cell phone and a set of keys. He picked up the items and then called police. When the police arrived and searched the area, the suspect approached officers and the victim who positively identified him. The suspect identified himself as a neighbor and admitted to being in the area. When asked why he said, "I heard a noise and I was curious about sex." He denied looking into the window, though. The victim placed him under a private person's arrest and he was later released to his mother at the station.

BATTERY. A man was arrested for reportedly running into two police officers deliberately near the first block of Pier Avenue July 26 at 12:10 a.m. Three officers were talking with three residents when the man ran between two of the officers, and struck them forcefully on the shoulders and back. The man continued running and the officers pursued him a short distance before he stopped. While detaining the man, officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol and the man displayed signs of intoxication.

FORGERY. The roommate of a man living in Hermosa Beach reportedly forged several of his checks between midnight July 1 and 9 a.m. July 26. The victim received a statement from his bank and noticed funds missing from his account. The bank showed the man the checks, which were made out in the order of "cash" with his roommate's endorsement on the back. The total loss is between $600 and $700.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person attempted to withdraw funds from the bank account of a woman living in Hermosa Beach at 1 p.m. June 18 and 2 p.m. June 22. The victim reported the crime July 27. She received a call from a branch bank in Lakewood, informing her that someone used a fake driver's license and her Social Security number to withdraw money, and attempted to do the same at a branch in Seal Beach but was unsuccessful at both locations. However, on the above dates the suspect(s) was able to withdraw $700 and $990, respectively.

CAUGHT ON TAPE. Two men were reportedly arrested in the 900 block of Beach Drive for attempting to burglarize a home between 7:30 p.m. July 22 and 5:30 p.m. July 25. The victim called police from a neighbor's house after she noticed the two men on her porch. The victim told police she left on vacation and locked her home. She returned to find her computer and checkbook missing, and a video camera that didn't belong to her sitting on her coffee table. The victim watched the video and recognized one of the men. She had a brief dating relationship with him that ended a week prior to the crime. The video showed the two men walking around the woman's home, making comments about how they should not be inside. The woman called the former boyfriend and inquired about the tape, and soon after, the two men arrived at her home. The woman attempted to call 9-1-1 on her cell phone but was unsuccessful so she ran over to her neighbor's and called the Police Department.

The Beach Reporter – July 22, 2004

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (7/22)

CAR WINDOW SMASHED. A 2001 Volkswagen Jetta was reportedly burglarized near the intersection of 28th Place and Morningside Drive July 13 at 4:20 p.m. A neighbor said he saw a man smash the driver's side window and chased after him but to no avail. The victim's parking permit was missing from the car.

HOME BURGLARY. A residence in Hermosa Beach was reportedly burglarized July 17 between the hours of 3 and 5 p.m. The victim left a bedroom window open, and a canvas bag carrying a laptop computer and a Sony PDA went missing. The victim told police she could not find the bag and thought her husband moved it.

BOYFRIEND TROUBLE. A woman was reportedly assaulted by her boyfriend in the 400 block of Monterey Boulevard July 17 at 5:55 p.m. The woman told police she was in her garage, sitting in her car and talking on the phone when her boyfriend of two years drove and struck his car into hers damaging the front left panel. He then approached her, began to argue with her and opened the driver's side car door. He then grabbed her by the hair with his right hand and grabbed her right upper arm with his left hand. He lifted her out of the car, let go of her hair and took her phone. The victim said the suspect pulled a clump of her hair out. The woman asked for her phone back and the suspect said, "This is my phone, f**k you, bitch" and left the scene.

HOTEL ROOM ASSAULT. A woman was reportedly sexually assaulted in her beach cottage hotel room in the 1000 block of The Strand July 18 at 7 a.m. A group of four people were sharing the cottage and were asleep when a man entered the room. One of the occupants awoke to his son's girlfriend yelling and saw the suspect leave out the front door. The man reportedly lay down next to the woman while she slept, placed his hand underneath her clothes and began rubbing her bare back with his hand. The woman woke up and yelled, "What the hell?" The father saw the man run away smiling, and both he and his son chased the man to a nearby taxicab stand where the suspect attempted to get away by car. Both men subdued him there until police arrived. The other woman in the hotel room witnessed the incident and later, along with the victim, positively identified the man. The suspect told police he entered the room by mistake. The man also entered another nearby room but left after being confronted by its guests. The man told police that the father and son assaulted him, and he denied getting into bed next to the woman. The man was staying at a hostel on the pier plaza.

The Beach Reporter – July 15, 2004

 Crime Watch (7/15) - Hermosa Beach

FAKE CHECK. An unknown person reportedly bought goods at a local business by using a forged copy of a check from a woman living in the 500 block of 21st Street between June 10 and 14. The crime was reported July 9. The victim told police that a representative from her bank called her about the check that posted to her account in the amount of $398. The victim received a copy of the check, which was a copy with the word "Hermosa" spelled out "Hermoso."

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked near Fifth Street and Hermosa Avenue was reportedly burglarized between 2 p.m. July 2 and 9 a.m. July 6. The owner parked the car on the west side of the street, and returned to find his car had been ransacked and realized the doors were unlocked. The burglar(s) stole a few bags, a jacket, boots, paperwork, a skateboard and a watch, all valued at $600.

BATTERY. A man was arrested after he reportedly pushed another man down to the ground outside a bar in the 1200 block of The Strand July 11 at 12:25 a.m. The victim, who was working at the establishment as a bartender, told police the suspect and his friends, all of whom were dressed in formal wear, began to create a disturbance. They began yelling obscenities when they were told the bar could not offer them a Shirley Temple. The group was then asked to leave. Several women who were a part of the group walked out onto The Strand with their drinks in their hands and the victim followed. He took a drink out of one of the women's hands since it's illegal, and the suspect then shoved him from behind and knocked him to the ground.

ANNOYING CALLS. A manager of a business along Pacific Coast Highway reportedly received several threatening calls from a man linked to the establishment July 11 at 2:30 p.m. The suspect called the manager regarding his two chairs that were on sale at the consignment store. The manager informed him the chairs had sold and he could come pick up a check. The man became upset and told the manager he would take legal action for the business not mailing the check. The manager reminded the man of the contract he signed that left him responsible for the check pickup. The man hung up, and called back again and threatened to break the manager's legs. The man then called back a third time and once again threatened the woman with legal action.

VANDALISM. Several windows belonging to a business in the 300 block of Pier Avenue were reportedly etched with a sharp object between 11:15 p.m. July 4 and 4 p.m. July 5. The suspect(s) etched on the windows similar in nature to that done by a person who was recently arrested by Hermosa Police.

The Beach Reporter – July 9, 2004

Crime Watch (7/9) - Hermosa Beach

IMPERSONATION. A man was arrested after he reportedly approached a police officer fraudulently passing himself off as a member of the armed forces in the first block of Pier Avenue June 12 at 7:45 p.m. The man approached the officer in a green Marine Corps uniform, identified himself and told the officer he was looking for his brother. The officer inspected the man, noticed he was dirty and unshaven, and the uniform was dirty and disheveled. The uniform also lacked either patches or insignias that determined the man's rank. The man said he had been in the corps only three or four months and was being deployed to Iraq the next day. The officer asked the man a few general questions about the Marine Corps, which the man couldn't answer. The officer then ran a check on the man, discovered that there were two warrants out on him and arrested the man. The man insisted he was stationed at Camp Pendleton but eventually admitted he was not a Marine and that he received the uniform from a friend.

STOLEN SUITCASE. A suitcase and all of its contents were reportedly stolen from the 400 block of Eighth Street June 28 between 4:45 and 5 a.m. The victim told police he set the suitcase down by his front door while he waited for a cab to pick him up and later noticed it missing. The victim said that his neighbor was also waiting for a cab at the same time and believed the driver of her cab may have picked up his suitcase by mistake. The man contacted the driver who denied taking the suitcase. The driver said he waited in the car for the woman who approached the car with a red suitcase and a white bag. The suitcase contained computer parts, a palm pilot, a CD player, CDs, an electric razor and miscellaneous clothing. The total loss is about $1,080.

VANDALISM. A car was reportedly vandalized in the 1200 block of Sixth Street between 10 p.m. June 27 and 8:45 a.m. June 28. The victim parked his car across the street from his home and returned to it to find the words "F*** You" and "Back" written in shaving cream. He also noticed that eggs had been cracked on his broken windshield (smashed by a brick) and two bricks sitting on the hood of the car. The victim suspects a friend whose car was keyed by one of the man's friends.

ASSAULT. A man was reportedly assaulted and his wallet stolen while walking back from the beach near 13th Street July 3 at 11:30 p.m. The victim told police that he had been drinking with his friends and he was walking to a friend's house when three men approached him. One of the men made a comment about the San Francisco Giants baseball hat he was wearing by saying something to the effect "The Giants are garbage." The victim responded but doesn't recall what he said and all three of the men attacked him. It was only when the man arrived at his friend's house after the assault that he noticed his wallet missing. The man suffered a black eye and several cuts and abrasions to his head and face.

HOME BURGLARY. A home along Palm Drive was reportedly burglarized between 10 a.m. June 30 and 2:59 a.m. July 1. The victim returned home to find that the drawers to her dresser in the master bedroom had been ransacked. She left her home and immediately called police. Officers discovered that the burglar(s) had gained entry in the home by using a pry tool on the front door. The suspect(s) stole four cameras valued at $1,100 from a walk-in closet along with $500 in cash and jewelry valued at $3,000 from a desk drawer.

The Beach Reporter – July 1, 2004

Crime Watch - Hermosa Beach       

APARTMENT INTRUDER. A man reportedly burglarized an apartment in the 1400 block of Loma Drive at 8 p.m. May 27. The victim told police she arrived at her residence and pulled into her secured garage when she heard a loud slamming of a door that she believes came from her apartment. As the victim walked toward her apartment, she saw a man walk past her with his hands in his pockets. He did not say anything nor did he look at her. She entered her home and did not think anything of the man until some time later when she noticed several items in a cabinet in her bathroom had been rummaged through. She also noticed a box of ice cream inside her freezer had been moved. She believes the man gained access into her home by using a key.

VANDALISM. An unknown person reportedly ripped a side rearview mirror from a car parked in the 800 block of Third Street between 8 p.m. June 20 and 6 a.m. June 21. The mirror is valued at $300.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked in the 800 block of First Street was reportedly burglarized between 11 p.m. June 26 and 8 a.m. The burglar(s) stole a satellite stereo valued at $200 from the car. The victim walked out to his car to find his trunk in disarray and the driver's side door ajar. Police noticed no forced entry.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked in the 1700 block of Pacific Coast Highway was reportedly burglarized between midnight and 11 p.m. June 27. The victim told police he parked in a private business parking lot and stayed at his girlfriend's house. He returned to discover one of his doors unlocked and some stereo equipment missing. The burglar(s) stole several items including two amplifiers and a subwoofer, all valued at $900.

GRAND THEFT. Numerous construction tools were reportedly stolen from a home construction site in the 1900 block of Beach Drive between 5:30 p.m. June 22 and 7:30 a.m. June 23. The burglar(s) stole everything from a saw to an air compressor to a drill all valued at about $2,600. The tools were locked in the basement of the house under construction with a padlock and a locked fence secured the job site. The burglar had gained entry onto the site and cut the padlock securing the basement. Both the subcontractors and the workers knew the combinations to both the site lock and the basement lock but police do not believe it to be anyone working at the site. After an investigation, police discovered a piece of burnt cardboard at the scene that was most likely used to light up the basement. However, the basement already has a light installed that the workers know is there. Officers booked the cardboard into evidence and took pictures of some footprints at the scene.

HB Crime Reports for June to January of 2004

The Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Association

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