Category Archives: 211

Man badly beaten during robbery attempt in Baldwin Park

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BALDWIN PARK — Two attackers severely beat a motorist with a metal pipe during a robbery attempt earlier this week after persuading him to pull over by telling him his car had a flat tire, authorities said.
The crime took place about 5 p.m. Wednesday at Merced and Vineland avenues, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Chris Hofford said.
A 47-year-old Covina man was driving when two men on bicycles shouted to him that his car had a flat tire, the sergeant said.
“He stops and gets out to examine his tire, and is his in the head with a metal pipe,” he said. The attackers also broke one of the man’s arms and one of his legs with blows from the pipe.
The attackers then demanded money from the injured victim, Hofford said. When he told them he had none, they fled empty-handed.
Hofford said the victim drove himself home before reporting the attack to police and receiving treatment at a hospital.
Police described both attackers as Latino men between 20 and 25 years old. The pipe-wielding man was about 5 feet 10 inches tall, of medium build, and wore a red shirt and blue pants. The other attacker was about 5 feet 8 inches tall, of medium build and wearing a dark-colored shirt.
Anyone with information can reach the Baldwin Park Police Department at 626-960-1955.

Woman arriving to work robbed of purse in Baldwin Park

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BALDWIN PARK — A robber snatched a purse from a woman as she was arriving for work at a Baldwin Park bank early Wednesday, officials said.
A woman in her 20s had just arrived at work shortly after 9 a.m. at a bank in the 14400 block of Merced Avenue when the crime took place, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Mark Harvey said.
The robber — described as a male and Latino, wearing a black hooded sweat shirt, a baseball cap and blue jeans — snatched the woman’s purse and was last seen running north on Big Dalton Avenue, according to the sergeant. The woman was not injured.

Man attacked and carjacked in Pasadena

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PASADENA — Three men armed with a gun and a knife attacked and carjacked another man early Tuesday, police said.
The crime took place about 2:20 a.m. at Washington Boulevard and Summit Avenue, Pasadena police Lt. Rick Aversano said.
The victim was helping someone unload items from the trunk of a 1990 Honda Accord when the carjackers approached, the lieutenant said.
“He was struck in the head from behind by one of the subjects,” Aversano said. It was unclear if the man was struck with some sort of weapon.
One of the attackers then got into the car and fled with it, while the other two fled the area on foot, he said.
Police described one of the carjackers as a Latino man between 23 and 24 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, of medium build and wearing dark clothes, Aversano said. He carried a black semi-automatic handgun.
Another carjackers was described as a black man, about 23 to 24 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and brandishing a knife. The third carjackers was described only as male.
The victim, a 30-year-old Monrovia man, declined to be taken to a hospital, police said.

Man robbed in Pasadena

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PASADENA — A man lost his wallet and jewelry to an armed robber on a Pasadena sidewalk late Wednesday, police said.
A man in his 30s was on the sidewalk at Orange Grove Boulevard and Oakland Avenue when he was approached by the robber, who pulled a handgun, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said.
The robber demanded the victim’s property, and the victim complied, handing over his wallet and jewelry, the lieutenant said.
Police described the robber as a black man of about 25 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 210 pounds. He wore blue jeans and a red T-shirt.
He got into a nearby white sedan, which drove off, Clawson said. It was not clear whether the robber drove the car himself, or had help from a getaway driver.

Officials: Store owner fights off, captures would-be robber in Temple City

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TEMPLE CITY — A liquor store owner struggled with a robber dressed in black over a gun then detained the culprit for deputies Tuesday, officials said.Sheriff’s Lt. Loy McBride said the suspect’s weapon turned out to be a replica handgun.Henry Vincent Ceballos, 44, was booked on suspicion of robbery, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials and county booking records. His city of residence was not available.The botched robbery took place at 4:51 p.m. in the 9100 block of Las Tunas Drive.McBride said a man wearing all black clothing entered the liquor store and demanded money.“The owner fought with the suspect over the gun. He held the suspect down until we got there,” the lieutenant said.According to Nakry Meas, it was the first time he was robbed and the first time he struggled with a robber.“I got my family inside,” he said.He didn’t know if the gun was real but he decided to fight back. The suspect hit him in the face, Meas said.Somehow the suspect fell.“After he fell down, I stayed on top of him. … My body was heavier than him,” Meas said.Deputies arrived and took Ceballos into custody, officials said.According to booking records, he was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

Convenience store robbers escape with only snacks in Rosemead

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ROSEMEAD — A group of armed robbers demanded cash from a convenience store clerk early Wednesday, but ultimately fled with only snack chips, officials said.
The robbery took place about 6:05 a.m. at 7-Eleven, 8147 Arroyo Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Edward Godfrey said.
Three suspects entered the store, one of them brandishing a black pistol, the lieutenant said. One of them demanded money from an employee.
Before obtaining and money, however, the men apparently became startled by an approaching customer and fled, Godfrey said. They helped themselves to some chips as they left.
Godfrey described the robbers as three Latino men between 20 and 25 years old, and 5 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall. One wore a black hooded sweat shirt and blue plaid shorts, another wore a black hooded sweat shirt and dark pants and the third wore a gray hooded sweat shirt and gray plaid shorts.
They got into a getaway car described as an older-model, four-door car with its rear license plate painted over, Godfrey said. A driver was waiting in the car, which was last seen westbound on Arroyo Drive.

‘Explosives Threat Bandit’ sentenced to prison

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LOS ANGELES — A serial bank robber dubbed the “Explosives Threat Bandit” by the FBI has begun serving an 11-year prison term for bank robberies and attempts throughout Los Angeles County, court documents show.
William Joseph Allen, 32, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty last year to six counts of bank robbery and attempted bank robbery. He was initially charged with eight counts, however two were dismissed under a plea agreement.
At his March 28 sentencing in federal court in Los Angeles, U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez sentenced the convict to 140 months in federal prison, along with three years of probation upon release and restitution in the amount of $26,125, according to court records.
Linked to as many as nine bank robberies and attempted bank robberies in Los Angeles, West Covina, La Puente, Pico Rivera, Venice, Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey, the bandit earned his moniker for threatening to have a bomb, according to the FBI.
The robbery spree took place between November of 2011 and March of 2012.
In some cases, he left behind large manila envelopes with wires protruding from them, resulting in bomb scares, officials said. Though ultimately found to be inert, the devices resulted in bomb scares. Allen was also known to carry a handgun during his heists.
He was identified and arrested by Los Angeles police officers in April of 2012.

PHOTO: This surveillance camera image shows the “Explosives Threat Bandit” William Joseph Allen, 32, of Los Angeles during a Nov. 15, 2011 robbery at a West Covina Bank of America branch. He has pleaded guilty to six counts of bank robbery and attempted bank robbery and was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison on Thursday, March 28, 2013.

(Courtesy of the FBI)

Altadena man accused of trying to carjack three drivers in Pasadena

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PASADENA — Police jailed an Altadena man Saturday who tried to carjack three different cars before one of the drivers struck him with a vehicle, officials said.
Cory Howard Macy, 27, was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail Sunday at the Pasadena Police Department’s jail after being booked on suspicion of attempted carjacking, according to Pasadena police and Los Angeles County booking records.
The ill-fated crime spree took place about 5:25 p.m. near Holliston Avenue and Elizabeth Street, Pasadena police Lt. Ed Calatayud said.
“The suspect approached three different vehicles that were travelling in the general area and flagged them down,” the lieutenant said.
He first attempted to steal the cars of a 73-year-old woman, then a 58-year-old woman, he said.
“He was yelling at victims to open the doors and give him their cars,” Calatayud said. “The victims had their car doors locked, and when they became aware that they were being the victims of a crime, they sped away.”
In the third carjacking attempt, Macy demanded the driver exit his vehicle while attempting to open the car door, police said.
The driver, a 48-year-old man, began driving away, Calatayud said. Macy allegedly jumped onto the hood of the victim’s car before rolling off.
Officers found and arrested Macy in the area, he added. He was taken for a medical examination before being booked into jail.
Calatayud said all three victims were wise to have their doors locked while driving around, which police normally recommend.
“The victims are commended for using safe practices,” he said.

Two sought in failed gas station robbery in Baldwin Park

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BALDWIN PARK — Two would-be robbers fled empty-handed following a failed heist at a Baldwin Park gas station early Saturday, police said.
The crime took place about 4 a.m. at USA Gasoline, at Puente and Pacific avenues, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Chris Hofford said.
Police described one of the robbers as a black man wearing a hooded sweat shirt and khaki pants, carrying a small black handgun. He was accompanied by a second black man who was wearing a white sweater and blue pants.
Details regarding what took place inside the store were not available Saturday morning, but the two men fled without obtaining any money, Hofford said. No injuries were reported.
One was last seen running east on Pacific Avenue, while the other fled north on Puente Avenue, he added.

Glendora man accused of robbery, burglary after scuffle at Home Depot

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GLENDORA — Police jailed a Glendora man Thursday after he became involved in a tug-of-war with a store manager over a drill set he was trying to steal, officials said.
Brandon Weinzril, 21, was booked on suspicion of strong-arm robbery and commercial burglary following the 11:50 a.m. incident at Home Depot, 1305 S. Lone Hill Ave., Glendora police Lt. Rob Lamborghini said.
A manager at the store spotted Weinzril trying to steal a drill set and confronted him, the lieutenant said.
“A struggle ensued for the items,” he said. “The suspect was ultimately detained.”
Officers arrived and took custody of the alleged thief, Lamborghini said.
No significant injuries resulted from the incident, he added.