Hermosa Beach Crime Reports for 2005

IDENTITY THEFT. Two credit cards were stolen from a car parked in the 600 block of 21st Street and one was used at a Jack in the Box in Lawndale between 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22 and 7:30 a.m. Aug. 23. The victim parked the car in the driveway and left it unlocked. The victim later noticed the items missing and called to cancel the cards. The credit card company advised him that at 7:20 a.m. Aug. 23 a charge for $100 made at the fast-food place was denied but later advised the victim that at 7:46 a.m. Aug. 23 a charge for $200 was accepted there.

GARAGE BURGLARY. A digital camera and camera equipment were reportedly stolen from a garage in the 1000 block of 17th Street between Aug. 3 and Aug. 5. The victim is a photographer who works out of the garage and leaves it open while he works, and thinks the camera was taken while it was open. The camera is valued at about $1,300 and the equipment at $319.

PETTY THEFT. A series of personal checks were reportedly stolen from a mailbox in the 400 block of Herondo Street between July 25 at 2:14 p.m. and July 26 at 2 p.m. The victim received a letter and a package from a postal inspector that informed him his checks were found in a trash dumpster. The victim was expecting the checks but never received them. One of the checks was used at Pep Boys with a California driver's license number with an address in Pasadena. Another check was possibly used for the purchase of a Corvette.

HOME BURGLARY. Two laptops and a wallet were reportedly stolen from the 2200 block of Hermosa Avenue between 9 a.m. Aug. 12 and 8:30 a.m. Aug. 18. The victim told police she usually leaves an upper level door at the rear of the residence open when someone is home. The door leads into the house and is connected to a spiral staircase that leads to an alley at the back of the residence. The victim noticed the laptops missing and checked with other family members to see if they had been used or moved. She discovered that no one had used them and then noticed her wallet missing from her purse. The burglar(s) stole two laptops, the wallet and cash all valued at about $3,500.

SMASHED WINDOW. A window on a car parked near 27th Street and Morningside Drive was reportedly smashed by a BB-type gun between 11 a.m. Aug. 21 and 8 a.m. Aug. 22. The cost to fix the window is $500 and it is noted this type of vandalism has occurred frequently in recent weeks.

The Beach Reporter – August 18, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (8/18)

GRAND THEFT. A carport cabinet on Ninth Street was reportedly burglarized Aug. 16 between 6:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. The victim left for work and remembers seeing the cabinet closed and padlocked. The victim arrived back at home, and saw the cabinet open and the padlock broken. The victim looked inside the cabinet and noticed several items missing. The stolen items that include sleeping bags, clothing and a computer are valued at $825.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked in the 1600 block of Pacific Coast Highway was reportedly burglarized Aug. 10 between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. The victim parked the car and placed her purse in the very back of her SUV. She returned and discovered a rear window had been smashed, and her purse and wallet were missing. The victim later discovered that one of her credit cards was used at Fry's Electronics in Manhattan Beach.

ANNOYING PHONE CALLS. An annoying phone message was left on a woman's answering machine in the 1200 block of Seventh Street when she returned home Aug. 8 at 12:15 p.m. The woman arrived at home and played the message, which was left by her ex-husband. The message said she was a very vindictive woman and that she "screwed and (expletive) their kid's life." The victim claimed there is a restraining order against the man but found no proof of one.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked inside a garage on 30th Street was reportedly burglarized Aug. 9 between 6:30 and 7 p.m. The victim pulled into the garage and didn't close the garage door behind him. He exited the car and left his briefcase and a laptop computer on the front passenger seat. The items stolen were a laptop, the briefcase, two passports, a Blackberry and two sets of headphones for a total value of nearly $2,500.

BATTERY. A man reportedly attacked another man in the 400 block of Herondo Street Aug. 10 at 9 p.m. The victim was visiting his girlfriend and told police that the suspect was there visiting her as well. The victim said that the suspect began to grab his girlfriend and he told him to stop. The suspect then threw the victim to the floor and began to hit him in the face with his fists. The victim said he never fought back. The victim did not immediately file a report but changed his mind when the suspect came back to his girlfriend's house unwanted Aug. 12.

The Beach Reporter – August 11, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (8/11)

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked in a locked private garage in the 1700 block of Ardmore Avenue was burglarized between 6 p.m. Aug. 2 and 7:30 a.m. Aug. 4. The victim parked and locked the car in a gated garage that is part of the victim's apartment complex. The victim returned to find the car unlocked and part of its cloth roof torn. Most of the items stolen - which include a laptop, electronic organizer, digital camera, sunglasses and CDs - were located in the trunk. The total value of the missing items is about $2,300.

STOLEN PLANT. An exotic fern valued at $500 was reportedly stolen outside a business located in the 500 block of 11th Place between 5:30 p.m. Aug. 7 and 7:30 a.m. Aug. 8. The victim last saw the fern outside and discovered it missing the next day.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked on Hermosa Avenue at Ninth Street was reportedly burglarized between 9 p.m. Aug. 5 and 1:30 a.m. Aug. 6. The victim thinks the car was locked but returned to find several items missing including a purse, wallet and cell phone. The items missing are valued at $870.

ANNOYING CALLS. An unknown person reportedly made annoying phone calls to a woman living in the 600 block of Porter Lane that began eight months ago and was reported Aug. 6 at 2:20 p.m. The victim began receiving lewd messages from an unidentified male caller on her answering machine. The calls initially came once every two weeks and gradually increased to one per week. The caller does not make threats but does make lewd, sexually oriented remarks and usually calls around 5 a.m.

TIRES SLASHED. Three tires of a car parked in the 1300 block of Valley Drive were reportedly slashed between 10 a.m. July 30 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 1. The victim, who works in the maintenance field, parked his car in the City Hall lot and returned to find three of his tires flat. The tires appeared to be slashed by an unknown tool. The victim believes a former work associate may have done it.

The Beach Reporter – August 4, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (8/4)

THEFT. Several items were reportedly stolen from a locked locker in a fitness club locker room located in the 1600 block of Pacific Coast Highway July 29 between 2 and 2:30 p.m. The victim locked his things in a locker and returned to find the lock still in place but his driver's license, a credit card, key to his car, an Apple iPod and $200 in cash missing.

TRASHED CAR. A man reportedly jumped up onto a car stopped near the corner of Monterey Boulevard and Pier Avenue July 30 at 2:04 a.m., denting the car and kicking in the windshield. Police responded to a call of a fight in progress and arrived at the scene to find the victim leaning up against a silver Toyota 4-Runner. The victim told officers that he was stopped at a stop sign and a man standing on the sidewalk yelled something at him. The victim asked him what he wanted and the suspect then became upset and jumped onto the hood of the car and kicked in the windshield. The suspect then jumped off and fled the scene. The victim who is visiting from Texas said the car belongs to his brother-in-law.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly used the personal information of a man living in the 1600 block of Manhattan Avenue to collect unemployment benefits during an unknown time period. The victim reported the incident July 27 after he received his income tax return check that was $341 less that what he expected. The reduced amount was because of collected unemployment benefits and so the victim contacted the Employment Development Department and was advised that someone used the victim's name and Social Security number but a different address and date of birth to collect the benefits.

STOLEN BIKE. A bike valued at $1,000 was reportedly stolen from a private yard in the 100 block of 35th Street between 9 p.m. July 26 and 9 a.m. July 27. The victim told police he stored and locked two bikes at his friend's house. The victim locked one bike with a kryptonite lock and chained the stolen bike to the locked bike. The victim discovered one bike missing and a pair of bolt cutters were left nearby on some steps.

STOLEN APPLIANCES. A Kenmore washer and dryer both valued at $50 were reportedly stolen from a driveway in the 1200 block of Ninth Street July 27 between the hours of 5:45 and 7:45 p.m. The victim placed the washer and dryer in the driveway and left the residence. She returned to find both missing.

The Beach Reporter – July 28, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (7/28)

GRAND THEFT. A bike valued at $1,400 was reportedly stolen from the 600 block of 30th Street between midnight July 20 and 7 p.m. July 21. The victim went for a ride, returned home and placed his bike between two parked cars. He left the garage by a west side door, which he left unlocked. He returned to find the bike missing. The victim shares the garage with his fiancee and four other tenants.

STOLEN PURSE. A purse containing $300 in cash was reportedly stolen from a business in the 600 block of Pacific Coast Highway between 4 and 5 p.m. July 22. The victim left her purse on the floor in the front office near a desk. She heard someone enter the business and returned to the front office to find no one there, but her purse missing. The purse also contained identification and a set of keys.

CAR BURGLARY. A car was reportedly burglarized in the 1000 block of 15th Street between 7 p.m. July 20 and 9 a.m. July 21. The victim parked her car in her driveway in front of her garage. From what she remembered, she thought she locked the car. However, she returned to find 14 necklaces missing. The necklaces were rolled up in cloth and were valued at $5,000. The victim sells the jewelry.

COUNTERFEIT CASH. A counterfeit $20 bill was reportedly used at a carwash in the 1000 block of Pacific Coast Highway between 1:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. July 18. The manager of the carwash was notified by an employee that the employee may have taken the counterfeit bill during his shift. The employee believed the bill was fake because the color in some areas seemed wrong and the paper was thicker than a standard bill. The lettering was also not as sharp as a regular bill.

STOLEN MOVING BOX. The cardboard box containing a computer and several other items was reportedly stolen from outside the victim's house in the 300 block of 27th Street between noon and 4 p.m. July 5. The victim reported the incident July 19 and told police she was moving from 27th Street to 18th Street. She placed the cardboard box in front of her former residence and finished moving. She later noticed the box missing and believes it was most likely stolen between noon and 12:30 p.m. when it sat in front of her former house.

The Beach Reporter – July 21, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (7/21)

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY. A business in the 2600 block of Pacific Coast Highway was reportedly burglarized between 8 p.m. July 5 and 9 a.m. July 6. According to police, the owner arrived at the business to find pry marks on the front door. The owner later discovered that three laptops were missing from two separate offices. The business was not ransacked and no other items were taken.

GRAFITTI. A business in the 2100 block of Pacific Coast Highway was reportedly vandalized with spray paint between 6:30 p.m. July 12 and 7:30 a.m. July 13. The owner of the business returned to find someone had spray painted graffiti on the business walls.

STOLEN PURSE. A purse belonging to a person from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was reportedly stolen at a bar on the pier plaza July 15 at 12:30 a.m. The victim set her purse down on the table and the suspect(s) then stole it. A man reportedly found the missing item three blocks away and tracked down the owner. The suspect(s) stole a credit card, cell phone valued at $100, the victim's Social Security card, her Iowa driver's license and $500 in cash.

BEACH THEFT. A man's cell phone and pager valued at $850 were reportedly stolen from a lifeguard tower near 30th Street and The Strand July 4 at 11:30 a.m. The man left the items on the tower while he went swimming in the ocean and returned to find them missing.

STOLEN BIKE. A bike valued at about $400 was reportedly stolen from a bike rack in front of a bar on pier plaza between 10:30 a.m. July 4 and 9 a.m. July 5. The victim locked the beach cruiser to the rack, and returned to find the suspect(s) had cut the lock and the bike missing.

The Beach Reporter – July 14, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (7/14)

APARTMENT BURGLARY. An apartment in the 100 block of Monterey Boulevard was reportedly burglarized between May 27 and June 29. According to police, the victim was staying in Arizona to recover after getting sick from a sewer leak when her home was burglarized. The victim told police that aside from her own set, her ex-boyfriend and the property manager were the only two people who had keys to the apartment. The apartment is in the victim's name and her former boyfriend moved out about one month ago. The victim returned to find her apartment in "shambles" and ransacked, and it appeared as though transients were living there. Some of her belongings were missing. The victim told police that her ex-boyfriend had visited the apartment while she was gone about two weeks ago to collect his things and she does not suspect him. There was no sign of forced entry. According to two witnesses who are neighbors, the victim and her former boyfriend were evicted for failing to pay their rent. The neighbors also said that they have seen the ex-boyfriend come and go at least three times and only saw him move his things in the middle of the night, which they thought was suspicious. They also told police that he smelled badly, appeared to be bipolar and paranoid. The property manager couldn't have committed the alleged crime since he has been in jail for at least the last month. The burglar(s) stole a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a jacket and a purse all valued at $1,975.

STOLEN SCOOTER. An electric scooter valued at $300 was reportedly stolen near the intersection of 27th Street and Hermosa Avenue July 4 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The scooter was secured by a combination lock to a street stop sign. The owner returned to find it missing.

SHATTERED WINDOW. A window of a residence in the 2500 block of Hermosa Avenue was reportedly shattered between 11:30 p.m. July 4 and 12:15 a.m. July 5, most likely from the force of a firework. The victim fell asleep around midnight and was awakened by a loud boom, which she believes was from a firework. At the same time she heard the boom, her bedroom window exploded, sending glass onto her dresser, floor and bed. The victim found no objects inside her bedroom or outside her home that would have caused the window to break. She believes it was due to the pressure of a firework.

FALSE ALARM. A man who checked into a hotel in the 1500 block of Pacific Coast Highway reportedly discharged a fire extinguisher which activated the fire alarm around 3:45 p.m. July 5. The Hermosa Beach Fire Department was dispatched to the location. The manager who was not working at the time was informed of the incident and gave the hotel's surveillance tapes to police who saw the suspect and several other subjects check into the hotel. The suspect then walked ahead of the other subjects, removed the fire extinguisher from the wall and discharged it in the hallway, pointing it at the other subjects. Employees cited damage to the hotel's floors and air conditioning vents.

The Beach Reporter – July 8, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (7/8)

STRAND BATTERY. A man in the 300 block of The Strand reportedly assaulted another man July 4 at 10:45 p.m. The victim and his cousin were walking along The Strand when the cousin asked the subject who was standing on the property near the 300 block for a light. The suspect told the cousin to go find a light somewhere else. A verbal argument ensued but the two men continued walking north along The Strand. The suspect jumped over The Strand wall, pulled the cousin by his shirt and threw him against the wall. The victim assisted his cousin, and he and the suspect began to fight. The suspect knocked the victim to the ground, and the suspect got on top of him and struck him several times in the face with a closed fist.

ROBBERY. A man reportedly robbed a bank located on the pier plaza July 1 at 11:25 a.m. According to police, the man entered the bank and walked up to a teller. He told the teller he wanted $50 and $100 bills placed on the counter. The teller didn't understand what was going on at first because the man didn't have a withdrawal slip. The suspect then displayed a handgun and said, "You've got 10 seconds." The teller opened his drawer and placed $2,000 on the counter, which the man took and walked out of the bank. The teller told a fellow employee about the robbery as soon as the man walked out and the burglary alarm was sounded.

STOLEN BIKE. A bicycle valued at $2,700 was reportedly stolen from outside a restaurant located along The Strand between 7 p.m. July 3 and 8 a.m. July 4. The victim locked the bike to a rack and returned to find it missing. The lock, which was cut to obtain the bike, was left at the scene.

CAR BURGLARY. A car parked in the 1300 block of Ardmore Avenue was reportedly burglarized between 5 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. July 4. The victim parked the car, and returned to find the passenger side window down and a wing window open. Police believe the suspect pried open and destroyed a locking device that keeps the wing window closed and locked. Various items were stolen including tools and CDs all valued at about $450.

CAR VANDALIZED. An unknown person reportedly smashed in the windshield of parking attendant vehicle between 10 p.m. July 4 and 3:45 a.m. July 5 in the 1100 block of Bard Street. A police officer walked outside and noticed the vandalized vehicle, which looked like someone had punched or kicked the windshield.

The Beach Reporter - June 30, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (6/30)

STOLEN BIKES. A pair of bicycles and a pair of in-line skates were reportedly stolen from a bike rack near Hermosa and Pier avenues between 10:30 p.m. June 24 and 9 a.m. June 26. The victim locked the bikes and the skates to the rack and returned to find the items missing. The bikes have the letters "H" and "S" etched on the seat posts. The items were valued for a total of $1,170.

STOLEN CASH. More than $1,000 in cash was reportedly stolen from a bar in the first block of Hermosa Avenue between 7 p.m. June 18 and 1 p.m. June 19. The manager received a phone call from the daytime bartender who told her that she came into work and found the bar was a mess, the inventory count was wrong and there was only $165 in the cash register that usually has a bank of $300. Money from the night before is never left in the register but is actually counted and then dropped into a safe. The daytime bartender from June 18 counted the money and then handed over the duties to the nighttime bartender. A cook working the night shift with the suspected nighttime bartender said she appeared to be drunk, and that she and her boyfriend counted the money and closed early at 1 a.m. when she was supposed to wait until 2 a.m. to close with a night manager. The bartender denied that her boyfriend was at the bar during closing time and later changed her story. She also denied taking the money, and said she left the cash in the register and thought it would be fine.

STOLEN TOOLS. Several tools valued at $500 were reportedly stolen out of a truck parked in a driveway in the 600 block of 21st Street between 4 p.m. June 22 and 8:30 a.m. June 23. The victim told police he parked his truck that has several lockable storage units attached to the truck's bed in the driveway. The victim told police he didn't lock the side compartments near the driver's side where the tools were kept.

STOLEN SEATS. A set of removable seats was reportedly stolen between 9 and 10:14 p.m. June 22 from a truck parked in the 700 block of Pier Avenue. The victim was driving the truck registered in his dad's name and parked it only to return to find the passenger window was smashed out. The burglar(s) gained access into the truck and stole a set of third-row seating. The seats are valued at $1,000 and the damage to the window is estimated at $250.

STOLEN TEQUILA. A $80 bottle of tequila was reportedly stolen from a car parked by a valet service located in a public parking lot in the first block of 11th Street June 23 between 7 and 9:30 p.m. The car was parked by valet and left unlocked. The victim returned to find the bottle and a garage door opener missing.

The Beach Reporter - June 23, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (6/23)

PETTY THEFT. A student in his early 20s reportedly left his backpack filled with various items on the roof of his car in the 1800 block of Hermosa Avenue and drove off June 1 at 7:35 a.m. According to police, the man realized he left his pack on the car and returned to the scene to look for it. There he spoke with a construction worker who said that a man driving a True Green landscape truck picked it up and drove away. The victim through his own investigation traced the truck back to the city yard and arranged with the man to give him back the backpack. The construction worker identified the man who picked up the backpack who said he picked it up and threw it in the dumpster at the city yard. The backpack, still missing, contains books, a pager and vitamins all valued at $330.

ATM FRAUD. An unknown person reportedly used a woman's debit card to make several purchases in Torrance June 15 between 1 a.m. and 3 p.m. The woman believes she left her Wells Fargo card in the ATM at Bank of America located on the pier plaza. She later discovered it missing after she checked her balance the following day to find that she was $600 in the red. The suspect(s) spent $38 at Carl's Jr. and nearly $530 at PC Warehouse. The owner of the latter business said a woman who is a regular at the store used it with a male subject and bought computer equipment with it. The owner called the woman who said the man had it and gave the owner the man's address and phone number.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly wrote a check to Nieman Marcus department store that was classified as returned and sent back to the owner in the 400 block of 11th Street April 13. The man reported the incident June 2 and told police the check was written against his bank account. He contacted the online issuer of the check, Qchex, and advised the company that he has never used its services and did not authorize the issuance of the check.

FORGERY. Two individuals with a counterfeit bill reportedly paid a limousine driver after he dropped them off near Eighth Street and Hermosa Avenue June 12 at 2:35 p.m. The driver picked up his fare (a man and a woman) in Torrance and drove them to Hermosa Beach. The driver asked for his fare of $17 and the man handed him a series of bills including a counterfeit $10 bill. The driver left and went to fill up his gas tank with the cash. An employee there tested the bill with a special marker and discovered it was counterfeit.

STOLEN WALLET. A man reportedly had his wallet stolen that contained $150 in cash from a table near a pool at a hotel in the 1000 block of The Strand June 17 at 9 p.m. The man put his wallet on the table and returned minutes later to discover it missing.

The Beach Reporter - June 16, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (6/16)

THEFT. A bike was reportedly stolen from a garage in Hermosa Beach June 11 between 12:15 and 12:17 p.m. The victim returned to his home, parked his car in the garage and left the door open. He went inside his home and returned to the garage a few minutes later to find his bike missing. The bike is valued at $800.

BAR ASSAULT. A man was reportedly hit in the back of the head by an unknown person inside a bar in the 2600 block of Hermosa Avenue June 4 at 1:13 a.m. The victim was with his girlfriend at the bar when she told him that a man put his hand on the back of her pants and touched her buttocks. It was obvious to the victim that his girlfriend was upset and she pointed at a man walking into the restroom. The suspect then walked into the restroom to confront the man who denied it. The man began to leave when the victim was hit over the head from behind and knocked to the ground. The victim sustained a laceration and has no idea who hit him.

MONTEREY ASSAULT. A man was reportedly assaulted by a group of men while walking in the 1800 block of Monterey Boulevard with his girlfriend June 12 between 2 and 2:15 a.m. The victim and his girlfriend walked past the first suspect who was urinating between two houses. The suspect saw the couple, turned and said hello. He then wanted to shake hands with the victim who refused. The suspect became angry and began to follow them. Three men joined the suspect and when the couple began to pull away from the group, the first suspect ran up to the victim and tackled him from behind. The suspect yelled a few words at the victim such as, "Are you from Simi Valley?" The victim got up and a second suspect in the group stepped in between the two men, but instead of attempting to keep the peace, the second suspect turned and "sucker punched" the victim in the nose. The men then continued to throw punches at the victim who eventually got away.

FRONT DOOR SCARE. A woman was reportedly attacked from behind at the front door of her boyfriend's home in the 600 block of Manhattan Avenue June 8 at 10:50 p.m. The victim was walking to her boyfriend's residence alone from the pier plaza and made it to the home. She reached for the front door and an unknown person knocked her to the ground from behind. The woman landed on her back and the suspect then sat on top of her, but did not attempt to remove her clothes or grope her. The woman screamed at the suspect that her boyfriend was inside, and fought the suspect off by kicking and punching. The suspect got up and fled the scene. The victim suffered a cut on the left side of her nose. Police smelled a strong odor of alcohol on the victim's breath who appeared to be in shock.

BATHROOM VANDAL. A bathroom located inside a sandwich shop in the 1000 block of Hermosa Avenue was reportedly vandalized between June 2 and 3. The unknown vandal(s) marked up the bathroom - walls, door and ceiling - with black ink by writing graffiti. Most of the writing was intelligible except for the word "Lynwood." The damage is estimated at $250.

The Beach Reporter - June 9, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (6/9)

BURGLARIZED CAR. A rental car located inside a parking structure along Hermosa Avenue was reportedly burglarized June 5 between 10 and 11 a.m. The victim, who was visiting from Japan until June 10, rented the car and returned to it to find that his rear passenger window was smashed. Several items were missing from the trunk. The victim told police the car was locked. The burglar(s) stole a laptop, a cellular phone, book and bag with a value of about $1,200. The cost to fix the window is about $50.

THREATS. A man reportedly made threats to a woman who has a restraining order against him in the 1000 block of Fifth Street between May 1 and May 31. The victim told police that she and the suspect contacted each other immediately after she obtained the restraining order and have been "friends" up until a month ago. She wanted to end it with the suspect but he called her "a thousand times" within the last month. The victim wants the suspect arrested for violating the court order. The victim told police the suspect called her and threatened to kill her if she "goes or reports this to the police." The threat occurred two weeks ago and the victim also received a call May 30 at 1:40 a.m. from a female she knows who left two threats on her answering machine five minutes in length.

LIFEGUARD TOWER VANDALIZED. A lifeguard tower located at 16th Street was reportedly vandalized June 3 at 1:01 a.m. Two officers patrolling the pier plaza were flagged down by a man who noticed two men and three women on the beach and believed that they were vandalizing the tower. The officers responded to the area and saw black and silver spray paint on the tower but could not locate any suspects. The witness never saw the group vandalize the tower but did hear the hissing sound of spray paint and one of the subjects throw a can away.

LAUNDROMAT THEFT. A man's wallet was reportedly stolen from a laundromat June 3 between 9:20 and 9:30 a.m. The victim was washing clothes and placed his wallet on a table nearby. He left the location for 10 minutes and returned to find it missing. There were three other people inside the business at the time - one man and two women.

TEXT MESSAGING. A woman reportedly received a text message on her cellular phone from a man she has a restraining order against June 2 at 9:15 p.m. in the 1900 block of Monterey Boulevard. The victim has not contacted the suspect and does not wish to prosecute at this time but filed a report to document the incident.

The Beach Reporter - June 3, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (6/3)

ANNOYING PHONE CALLS. A unknown man reportedly made annoying phone calls to a woman living in the 300 block of Gentry Street between May 1 and May 24. Over the past weeks, the victim told police she has received two calls per day by an unknown male. The suspect calls and asks for the victim by name and when she identifies herself, the caller hangs up. The suspect calls every day between 6 and 9 p.m. The victim told police the voice sounds like one of a young adult male. The victim retrieved the number of the caller off her caller ID and called it back but got a busy signal. The phone company told the victim that it could not investigate until a police report was filed.

PETTY THEFT. A man reportedly walked into a grocery store in the 1100 block of Pacific Coast Highway May 21 at 1:14 and stole several items inside a stolen plastic trash bucket. A witness saw the suspect walk past the cash registers with a white plastic trash bucket filled with stolen property. The man activated a security alarm system when he left the store but he continued to walk without turning back or stopping. The witness saw a white pickup truck idling in the parking lot with a woman seated next to a male driver. The witness saw the truck leave the area. The store's surveillance tape revealed that the suspect removed several packages from the shelf, including vitamins and Sudafed.

GRAND THEFT. A house in the 1100 block of Second Street undergoing a remodel was reportedly the site of a theft between 11 a.m. May 11 and noon May 18. The victim is having her house remodeled and is not living there at the moment but her primary contractor has keys to the house. The victim last saw her jewelry box, Social Security card and credit card on a shelf in her closet of her bedroom May 11. The victim had to leave her house the following day due to some plumbing problems at her house that needed to be fixed. She then returned and found the items missing. The jewelry box contained a watch worth $8,000.

STOLEN TAILGATE. A tailgate belonging to a pickup truck was reportedly stolen in the 1200 block of Ninth Street between 6:45 p.m. May 16 and 6:45 a.m. May 17. The victim parked his truck on the street outside his house and returned to find the tailgate missing. Its value is $500.

TORN FENCE. A fence was reportedly pulled off its hinges in the 900 block of Eighth Place May 24 between 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. The victim left the house and was later notified by a neighbor that the fence has been vandalized. The victim returned to find the fence had been ripped from its hinges. The damage is $500.

The Beach Reporter – May 26, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (5/26)

MAKEUP THEFT. Several items of makeup were nearly stolen from a supermarket in the 1100 block of Pacific Coast Highway May 23 at 10:05 p.m. The suspect entered the store, filled a plastic foam cooler with cosmetic products and left the items near the front entrance of the store while a second suspect waited inside a car with the engine running. Both suspects eventually fled the scene when they observed witnesses watching them.

HOME RANSACKED. A residence located on Eighth Place was reportedly ransacked and burglarized May 23 at 9:42 p.m. The suspect returned to his home at 9:30 p.m., used his key to enter the house, and observed that a door leading into the kitchen was wide open and his house had been ransacked. Police believe the suspect(s) entered the area through the backyard via a gate and entered the house through the unlocked kitchen door. Suspects removed the stolen property by using a Nike duffel bag and a pillowcase.

CAB DRIVER ASSAULT. A taxicab driver was reportedly hit several times in the face near 10th Street and Bayview Drive May 22 at 8:44 p.m. The cab driver picked up the two male suspects who asked to be dropped off at Voorhees Avenue in Redondo Beach. The suspects rolled down their windows and the driver asked them to roll them back up. When they didn't, he asked that they get out. After he pulled over, the suspects got out of the car and began hitting the driver several times.

MAKING THREATS. A man reportedly yelled at his neighbor on The Strand for constructing a fence too high May 24 at 10 a.m. The man contacted the victim and questioned him about the height of his fence currently under construction. The man told the victim that the fence could not exceed 42 inches and that his fence was taller than that. He then yelled at the victim and walked away. He later received a threatening phone call from the man's son.

VIEW SHED. A shed containing sporting equipment located at Hermosa View School in the 1800 block of Prospect was reportedly burglarized May 20 at 11 a.m. A school employee forgot to lock the shed that contained the equipment the night before, and early the next morning the employee discovered the shed open and the equipment missing.

The Beach Reporter – May 19, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (5/19)

RUN-BY ICE CREAMING. A person inside an ice cream store located on the pier plaza reportedly threw ice cream at another person walking by May 6 at 2:30 p.m. The victim told police that she attempted to buy ice cream at the store but then decided to go to another ice cream shop located on Hermosa Avenue. After she bought her ice cream, she walked by the shop on the plaza and the suspect walked out of the store and threw ice cream at her, striking the right side of her body. She suffered no injury and doesn't know why the suspect accosted her.

STOLEN CDS. Several CDs were reportedly stolen from a car parked in the 100 block of First Street between 9 p.m. May 12 and 7:25 a.m. May 13. The victim got into his car and noticed a pair of scissors lying on the driver's side floorboard. He noticed that several of his CDs were missing. The passenger side door lock was damaged consistent with being pried open. The value of the stolen CDs is $180.

IDENTITY THEFT. An unknown person reportedly used the personal information of a man living in the 500 block of Herondo Street to open up a cellular phone account with Nextel between April 6 and May 11. The victim received a statement from Nextel that said he owed the company $171. The victim never opened up the account, and his name and address were used to open it.

STOLEN MOONROOF. A moon roof of a Volkswagen Jetta was reportedly stolen from a car imports parking lot between 5:30 p.m. May 13 and 8:10 a.m. May 16. The victim left the car with the business and returned to find it missing. The value to replace the moon roof is $1,000.

The Beach Reporter – May 12, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (5/12)

PURSE SNATCHED. A purse was reportedly stolen from a bar on the pier plaza April 22 at 12:05 a.m. The victim told police that she left her purse in a booth at the bar while she went to dance. Upon her return, the purse was missing. It contained a bank card, a driver's license and $15 in cash. The purse was valued at $275.

DOOR KICKED IN. A door to a residence in the 100 block of 10th Street was reportedly kicked in by an unknown person between 3 p.m. May 6 and 4 p.m. May 8. The victim told police he left his home to go out of town and when he returned he found his front door kicked in. Upon further review the victim noticed that nothing, even items of value - two laptops, a water bottle filled with coins, a watch and miscellaneous electronic equipment - was taken. The victim believes he was the target of mistaken identity.

CAR BURGLARY. A locked car parked off Pacific Coast Highway was reportedly burglarized between 10 p.m. April 21 and 6:50 a.m. April 22. The victim told police she parked her car in her assigned space, and returned to it to find her passenger door unlocked and several items missing. Those items include an MP3 player, a Bible and CDs all valued at $270.

HOME BURGLARY. A home on 33rd Street was reportedly broken into between 7 a.m. May 3 and 1 a.m. May 4. The victim left his home and returned to find the glass to a back door had been smashed and the door was open. The victim checked the home to find two downstairs closets had been opened and slightly ransacked, along with an upstairs bedroom and an office. At the time of the report, the victim noticed no items missing.

The Beach Reporter – May 5, 2005

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch (5/5)

HOME BURGLARY. A house in the 1600 block of Monterey Boulevard was reportedly burglarized between 9 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. May 2. According to police, the victim left his residence that he shares with his roommate, and locked all the doors and windows. He returned home by entering through his locked front door and found his 50-inch plasma television that had been mounted to the living room wall missing. He then discovered that his bedroom had been ransacked. He called his roommate and informed him of the burglary, who later discovered that a bathroom window was open and the shower door was in an unusual position. The burglar(s) also stole two laptops, a digital camera, $500 in cash, two televisions, a camcorder and several paintings. The total loss is estimated at $17,400.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY. A home in the 1600 block of Bayview Drive was nearly burglarized between 5:30 a.m. May 1 and 1:45 p.m. May 2. The victim noticed that a screen that covers a window of a side door that leads to the garage was damaged. A metal coffee table that belongs to the victim had been moved from the side of the house and placed on the ground beneath the window where the suspects of another burglary gained entry into another home. The door is about 8 feet from the window used to gain entry into the victim's neighbor's house.

STOLEN CASH. Two men reportedly stole $160 in cash from a woman's purse inside a grocery store in the 2500 block of Pacific Coast Highway April 30 at 12:20 p.m. The victim, who was shopping inside the store, withdrew from her bank account $160 in cash and placed the money inside a small pouch inside her purse that she placed in the front basket of her shopping cart. One of the suspects approached her and asked her about a bag of cookies she was buying. She talked to the first suspect for a few minutes while the second suspect stood on the other side of her cart out of her line of sight during the conversation. The suspects then left together. The victim eventually went to pay for the items and noticed the cash inside the pouch missing.

ADULT PHONE CALLS. An unknown person reportedly used a man's credit card to make a series of phone calls to an adult phone service between Nov. 20, 2004, and April 19, 2005. The man reported the incident April 22 after he went online to view his account and noticed a charge for $75.81 to a company he was not familiar with. He called the company and a representative told him over the phone that 17 other charges had been made to the credit card for such services and totaled about $652. The company has since refunded the victim about $512 for the fraudulent charges.

JEWELRY THEFT. Two Tiffany bracelets were reportedly stolen out of an apartment in the 600 block of Monterey Boulevard between 7 a.m. March 1 and 9 p.m. March 2. The victim reported the incident April 21 and told police that the management company which owns her apartment complex allowed access to her residence for a company hired to install new windows. She believes the workers may be responsible for the theft. She talked to the owner of the company who told her that two other tenants in the complex were victims of theft and told the victim that he would conduct his own investigation into the theft. The burglar(s) stole two bracelets valued at $450.

HB Crime Reports for September to December of 2005

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