Recently in Alhambra Category

ALHAMBRA -- An Alhambra police car was involved in a non-injury crash Sunday on Valley Boulevard, authorities said.
The crash was reported about 8:30 p.m. on Valley Boulevard, just west of Atlantic Boulevard, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
The crash involved the police car and another vehicle, and did not result in injuries or major damage, Alhambra police Sgt. Richard Aguayo said.
The cause of the crash was being investigated by the CHP, Aguayo said.
No further details were available late Sunday.

ALHAMBRA -- A team of violent robbers has apparently been at work in Alhambra over the past month, authorities said.
Four robberies have been reported so far at four different spots within the city since Sept. 3, Alhambra police Detective Tai Seki<NO1>cq<NO> said.
The robbers carry weapons, though Seki declined to say Friday what type, and several of the victims have been attacked and hospitalized during the crimes.
The robberies all occurred during nighttime hours, between 9:30 p.m. and 3 a.m., and there didn't appear to be any pattern connecting the victims, Seki said.
"It almost appears to be as if the suspects are selecting the victims at random," he said.
The robberies are connected by similar circumstances and a white or light-colored, older-model SUV that's been seen in connection with each robbery, Alhambra police Lt. Edith Lopez<NO1>cq<NO> said in a written statement.
Police believe the robbers to be two to four Latino men in their 20s, Lopez added, and police are asking the public's help in identifying the suspects or the SUV.
The robberies occurred Sept. 3 in the 400 block of South Stoneman Avenue, Sept. 7 in the 00 block of First Street, Sept. 28 in the 700 block of South Atlantic Boulevard and Sept. 30 in the 00 block of Shorb Street, Seki said.
In each case, the robbers stole personal property including wallets and cell phones, he added.
Seki advised Alhambra residents to, "Be aware of their surroundings when out at night, and report any suspicious activity."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Alhambra Police Department Robbery Information Line at (626) 570-5136. Reports can be made confidentially, and information will be kept confidential.

ALHAMBRA -- Police warned the public Thursday about a series of street robberies the City of Alhambra has been experiencing over the past month.
At least four similar robberies have occurred during nighttime hours throughout the city since Sept. 1, Alhambra police Sgt. Richard Aguayo.
The robberies have been committed by two to four Latino men in their 20s, police said in a written statement. They have been seen fleeing the crime scenes in a white or light-colored SUV.
"The police department is asking for the public's assistance with any information that may lead to the identification of the suspects and the vehicle," the statement said. All information can be given anonymously.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Alhambra Police Department.
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ALHAMBRA -- A car struck a husband and wife as they crossed the street Friday, sending both to the hospital with serious injuries, police said.
The man and woman, who were estimated to be in their 20s, were listed in "guarded but stable condition" at a hospital Saturday, Alhambra police traffic investigator Cpl. J. Mallette said.
The crash was reported about 7:30 p.m. on Valley Boulevard at Eighth Street, Alhambra police Lt. Dan Rodriguez said in a written statement.
The husband and wife had just left a grocery store and were crossing Valley Boulevard in a crosswalk when they were struck by a westbound sedan, officials said.
There are stop signs on Eighth Street at the intersection, but not on Valley Boulevard, Mallette said.
The driver, a man in his 20s, remained at the scene and no arrests were made, he added.
Mallette said the cause of the crash remained under investigation Saturday.

ALHAMBRA -- Police jailed a Covina man Saturday after he allegedly pistol-whipped his step-father, officials said.
Brian Herrera, 32, was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and making terrorist threats, Alhambra police officials said.
Herrera and his step-father were arguing about 8 a.m. in the 400 block of North Vega Avenue when Herrera struck his step-father in the head with a handgun, Alhambra police Lt. Jennifer Wiese said in a written statement.
Herrera was arrested at his home in Covina, she added, where police allegedly found two handguns in his possession.
The step-father was treated for his injuries at the scene by paramedics, police said.
The incident likely stemmed from an ongoing family dispute, which police responded to the night before, authorities said.
Herrera was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, officials said. No information on his initial court date was available.

BIG BEAR -- Authorities resumed their search Sunday to no avail for an Alhambra man who apparently drowned trying to rescue another man from Big Bear Lake.
The 33-year-old man's name was not released Sunday, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said.
He jumped off a boat in an effort to help a struggling swimmer about 3 p.m. Friday, but he himself got into trouble in the rough waters, Beavers said.
Another man jumped in the water to try to help, but only he and the first man in the water made it back to the boat, officials said.
The Alhambra man is presumed dead, and five sheriff's divers searched the lake for a body Sunday, Beavers said.
The search continued until about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, she said, when high winds and rough waters made the lake unsafe for divers.
Officials will evaluate the situation early Monday, including the weather and manpower availability, to determine how to proceed, Beavers said.
Divers searched Saturday from sunrise until about 1 p.m., when rough waters and heavy boat traffic prompted officials to call off the search.
Authorities also searched for the man Friday until sunset.
The three men were part of a group that rented a boat together, Beavers said.
The boat was about 300 yards off the shore when the incident occurred, she said. The lake is about 27 feet deep.

BIG BEAR - Officials called off the search about 1 p.m. Saturday for an Alhambra man who apparently drowned trying to rescue a troubled swimmer in Big Bear Lake.
Rough waters and heavy boat traffic on the lake made the lake unsafe for divers and interfered with sonar equipment, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said.
The 33-year-old man, whose identity was not released Saturday, jumped into the lake from a boat shortly after 3 p.m.Friday to try to help another man from the boat who had gotten into trouble while swimming in choppy waters, Beavers said.
A third man from the boat jumped in to try to help, but only the first and third men made it back to the boat, she said.
The Alhambra man went under and has not been seen since, Beavers said.
"He is presumed dead," she said.
Divers searched for the man until about 7 p.m. Friday, then resumed the search in the 27-foot deep lake with eight divers at dawn Saturday until it was called off in the afternoon, officials said.
The search would likely continue at sunset Sunday, Beavers said.
The rented boat was about 300 yards from shore when the incident occurred, she added.
Those on the boat were believed to be a group of friends, she said.
Beavers said the waters of Big Bear Lake can be turbulent at times, especially during the high winds of the afternoon.
"If you're not a strong swimmer, you can get in trouble really fast," she said.

ALHAMBRA -- Police sought the public's help Saturday in finding two young brothers who left for a tutoring session Thursday and never arrived, authorities said.
Tial Thawng, 14, and Hniang Nawl Thawng, 11, were last seen walking away from their home in the 100 block of South Olive Avenue, Alhambra police Sgt. Gabriel Ponce said in a written statement.
They were supposed to go to a tutoring session but never arrived and haven't been seen since, he said.
Both brothers speak Burmese and some English, Ponce said.
Tial Thawng is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and of thin build, the sergeant said. He was last seen wearing light-colored hooded sweat shirt, a black t-shirt, blue shorts and a black and white backpack.
Hniang Thawng is described as 4 feet tall and of thin build, officials said. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, tan shorts, a black jacket and a red backpack.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Alhambra Police Department.

Pictured: Hniang Thawng - top, Tial Thawng - bottom.

The jury in music producer Phil Spector's murder trial resumed deliberations today.

The panel took a break last week after one of the juror's fell ill on Wednesday.

The 69-year-old Spector is accused of second-degree murder in the gunshot death of actress Lana Clarkson on Feb. 3, 2003. Clarkson was fatally wounded inside Spector's Alhambra mansion.

ALHAMBRA -- An apartment complex was rendered uninhabitable Sunday after a blaze ignited in one of the units, officials said.
The incident occurred about 3:30 p.m. at a four-unit apartment building in the 200 block of South Curtis Avenue, Alhambra Fire Department Battalion Chief John Cermak said.
No one was injured in the fire, which caused $125,000 to $150,000 in damage, Cermak said.
The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
The flames were kept largely isolated to a single upstairs apartment and an attic it shared with other units, the battalion chief said.
About 50 fire officials had the fire extinguished in about 45 minutes, he said.
All four apartment in the building sustained smoke damage, however, and the apartment directly under the burning one was damaged by water, Cermak said.
It was not clear Sunday when the residents would be able to move back in, he added.
Only the apartment building owners were present during the blaze, he said.

Looks like the feds plan to dole out about $252 million in stimulus money to California cop shops. I haven't done the math but in most cases it looks like the package will return about $1 to cities per resident. Here's a round up of what some San Gabriel Valley cities can expect

PASADENA $342,008

EL MONTE $320,930

WEST COVINA $184,000

WHITTIER $152,145

BALDWIN PARK $151,669

PICO RIVERA $148,182

ALHAMBRA $143,111

MONTEBELLO $127,104

ROSEMEAD $113,633

SAN GABRIEL $98,260

COVINA $95,090

AZUSA $93,347

MONTEREY PARK $80,668

ARCADIA $71,159

SANTA FE SPRINGS $68,782

MONROVIA $64,503

SOUTH EL MONTE $64,344

INDUSTRY $59,590

DIAMOND BAR $55,152

LA MIRADA $55,152

DUARTE $45,009

SAN DIMAS $39,621

TEMPLE CITY $36,610

GLENDORA $33,599

LA VERNE $33,123

WALNUT $23,297

SOUTH PASADENA $19,018

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE $11,411

IRWINDALE $10,618

ALHAMBRA - A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for an Alhambra man accused of killing his girlfriend and dumping her body in a trash can in Arcadia, officials said Friday.

Isaac Campbell is charged with murder for the 2007 slaying of Liya "Jessie" Lu.

He is due at Alhambra Superior Court March 18 for a preliminary hearing, in which a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence to order Campbell to stand trial, court officials said.

The preliminary hearing has already been postponed twice.

Campbell disappeared after detectives called him in for questioning in the case, officials said. He who was extradited last year from Minnesota.

Lu's body was found inside a trash can he'd allegedly left at a friends house, sealed in a plastic garbage bag and covered with kitty litter, according to authorities.

ALHAMBRA - As jurors visit the home of Phil Spector, streets around his home will be affected, police said.

The street Spector's home is on in the 1700 block of Grand View Drive will be blocked off to keep crowds at bay, police said.

Also, no parking signs will be posted from on Grand View Drive from Norwood Place to Parkview Drive, police said.

This is the second time a jury has visited the Alhambra mansion where Lana Clarkson died. Spector is on trial, for the second time, for the murder of Clarkson.

Local bank have experienced a wave of unauthorized withdrawls in recent days, as banks in Alhambra, San Marino and La Canada Flintridge were robbed Thursday and Friday.

In the case of Alhambra, it was the third robbery of the month.  A serial robber known as the Grizzly Adams Bandit visited a local bank twice on Jan. 6 and Jan. 26.

In San Marino, the bank robbed Friday shared a driveway with the San Marino Police Department.

In La Canada Flintridge, after robbing a bank, the same robber is believed to have robbed a pharmacy of prescription drugs about an hour later.