Category Archives: Monrovia

Car stolen from off-duty police officer in Monrovia recovered in El Monte, but gun and badge still missing

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A car stolen from the Monrovia home of a reserve police officer was found abandoned and burned in El Monte early Thursday, however a gun, badge, police uniforms and other items that had been inside it remained missing, authorities said.
The car was stolen about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday from the 200 block of Los Angeles Street in Monrovia, Monrovia police Sgt. Nick Manfredi said.
A reserve officer from the San Fernando Police Department left his white Honda Accord running and was in the process of loading the car with items when the theft occurred, according to El Monte and Monrovia police.
“He was going from his home back to the car making trips,” Manfredi said. “Then he heard the sound of his vehicle revving, looked outside and saw it being driven away.”
Inside the car was a 9mm, semi-automatic handgun loaded with eight rounds and a San Fernando Police Department badge, Manfredi said.
Also in the car were police uniforms and firefighting equipment, El Monte police Lt. Dan Burlingham said.
El Monte officers found the stolen Honda just after midnight in the 11700 block of Hallwood Avenue when someone reported a car far, Burlingham said.
The gun, badge, uniforms and other equipment were not found.

Good Samaritan robbed and carjacked in Monrovia

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MONROVIA — Police Friday continued seeking two men who carjacked and robbed a good Samaritan at gunpoint after he agreed to jump start their pickup truck earlier this week, authorities said.
The crime occurred Tuesday in a residential neighborhood on 5th Avenue, between Chestnut and Walnut avenues, Monrovia Police Sgt. Nick Manfredi said.
The carjacked minivan was recovered Thursday in Monrovia, and police were examining it for clues, the sergeant said.
The victim, an Upland man in his mid-20s, was approached by two men in a pickup truck about 6:40 a.m., he said.
One of the men exited the pickup truck and asked if the victim would use his 2002 Dodge Caravan to jump-start their truck, according to Manfredi.
“Victim agreed and he drove up to the suspects’ vehicle,” he said. “That’s when one of the suspect produced a small-caliber handgun and demanded the victims money.”
The victim turned over his money, and the robber then jumped into the minivan and sped away, Manfredi. The pickup truck also fled the scene.
Officers Thursday found the minivan abandoned in the 300 block of West Olive Avenue and were processing it for evidence Friday before returning it to its owner, officials said.
Police described the gunman as a white man in his late-30s, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with shoulder-length blond hair. He wore blue jeans and a blue T-shirt.
The driver of the pickup truck involved in the robbery and carjacking was described only as male. The truck was a small, white, late-80s-model pickup.

‘Haggler Bandit’ sought for bank heists in Pasadena, Monrovia, LA

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The FBI and local police are looking for a robber who haggled with tellers and hit five banks in Pasadena, Monrovia and Los Angeles.
FBI officials said four of the robberies occurred this week.
The so-called “Haggler Bandit” uses a note demanding money but isn’t averse to haggling over the amount, hence the moniker bestowed on him by the FBI.
“The bandit is demanding large amounts of cash and when the teller replies that they simply don’t have that much cash, he seems to change his mind on the amount,” FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
“So there’s been a sort of back and forth with some of the tellers as far as the amount goes.”
The earliest heist tied to the bandit was the Aug. 22 robbery of a Citibank at 161 W. California Blvd. in Pasadena.
The bandit then tried to rob a Wells Fargo at 655 N. Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena on Thursday. On the same day, he robbed a Chase bank branch at 690 W. Huntington Drive in Monrovia.
On Friday, he was behind the attempted robbery of a Chase bank at 100 N. La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles and the robbery of a Citibank at 300 S. Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles.
He said he had a weapon during Friday’s attempted robbery.
The suspect was described as a black man between 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet tall and weighing between 150 to 170 pounds. He was also described as being in his late 20s to being 40.
Pasadena Police Department, the Monrovia Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI are investigating the case.
Anyone with information on the identity of the “Haggler Bandit” is asked to call 9-1-1 or any of the agencies investigating the robberies. The FBI can be reached at 1-888-226-8443.
- Ruby Gonzales
PHOTOS of  ”Haggler Bandit” courtesy of the FBI

Monrovia woman accused of skillet attack on friend

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MONROVIA — A Monrovia woman is in custody for allegedly hitting a friend several times with a skillet during an argument.
The assault happened 10:36 p.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of West Colorado Boulevard.
Monrovia police said the woman was drunk and angry.
She got into a dispute with a male friend and struck him with an electric skillet, according to Lt. Jaime Alfaro.
He didn’t know what the two argued over.
The friend, a 47-year-old Monrovia man, ended up with lacerations, a broken finger and pain to his head. Alfaro said the man was taken to a hospital.
Officers arrested Tammy Kay Shinpaugh, 47, on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon (the skillet).
She was being held at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood in lieu of $30,000 bail.
Shinpaugh has a Monday court date at Pasadena Superior Court.
- Ruby Gonzales

Police release sketch of Monrovia home-invasion robber

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MONROVIA — Police are seeking the public’s help in tracking down home-invasion robbers who held a woman captive at gunpoint in her her own bedroom while ransacking her house for valuables.
The crime took place about 4:50 p.m. July 15 in the 200 block of East Chestnut Avenue, according to Monrovia police officials and logs.
Investigators Wednesday released a sketch of one of the robbers in hopes of generating clues.
A woman arrived home and went to her upstairs bedroom when she heard noises downstairs, but believed it was her sister who had forgotten her house key and was entering through a window, Monrovia police officials said in a written statement.
“The victim was confronted by a male black suspect in her room and was held at gunpoint,” the statement said. “The suspect demanded money and ordered the victim to lie face down on the floor, and the victim’s head was covered with a shirt to shield her view.”
Though the woman heard the voice of a second robber, she never got a look at him, police added. The gunman sounded as if he was talking on a cell phone, and possibly taking orders regarding where to search while ransacking the home.
The robbers ultimately fled with the woman’s wallet, as well as a cell phone, two laptop computers, a book bag and a PlayStation 3.
Police described the gunman as a black man, 22 to 30 years old, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. No description of the second robber was available.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact Monrovia police detectives at 626-256-8000.
SKETCH courtesy of the Monrovia Police Department

Monrovia man jailed following 12-hour standoff

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MONROVIA — A SWAT team used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to bring an end to a 12-hour standoff with an armed ex-felon early Wednesday, police said.
David Hipkins, 35, was arrested on suspicion of being an ex-felon in possession of firearms shortly after 1 a.m. at his home in the 800 block of West Duarte Road, Monrovia police Sgt. Mike Head said.
The stand-off began about 1:20 p.m. Tuesday when police received a report that Hipkins was distraught and had made threats of harming himself, police said.
Authorities summoned a SWAT team after Hipkins, who was believed to have weapons, refused to come out of the home.
After 12 hours of sporadic communication with Hipkins, police fired tear gas and flash-bang grenades into the home, Head said.
After several volleys of grenades, he said, Hipkins finally exited the home and surrendered.
Several guns were found inside the home, though the number and type of weapons were not available Wednesday morning.

Monrovia cops, firefighters to complete in charity basketball game

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MONROVIA — Monrovia police and firefighters will compete in a charity basketball game next month to raise money for the American Cancer Society, officials said.
The “Battle of the Badges” game will take place at 6:30 p.m. June 1 at the Monrovia High School basketball gym, 845 W. Colorado Blvd., organizers said in a written statement.
Admission is $5. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.
The event is being hosted by the Monrovia Police Officers Association and the Monrovia Firefighters Association.
For more information, contact Monrovia police Officer Garcia at 626-256-8000.

Pasadena man found dead in truck along 210 Freeway in Monrovia

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MONROVIA — Paramedics pronounce a Pasadena man dead inside his car along the side of the 210 Freeway early Thursday after he suffered an unknown medical problem, officials said.
The body of Jack Serrano, 54, was discovered inside his Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck just before 6 a.m. along the right shoulder wall of the eastbound 210 Freeway at Myrtle Avenue, California Highway Patrol Officer Kerri Rivas said.
It was unclear when Serrano actually lost consciousness, she added.
A Freeway Service Patrol worker noticed the truck along the side of the road and noticed a man inside slumped over the steering wheel and unresponsive, Rivas said. The worker was unable to open the truck’s doors.
Paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced Serrano dead about 6:22 a.m., officials said.
The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner will perform an examination to determine how Serrano died.

UPDATED: Woman found disoriented in Monrovia identified

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UPDATE: The previously unidentified woman described below has been identified, police said Thursday, May 17, 2012. She was identified as a transient from Los Angeles, and remains at the mental hospital for further treatment.
Original posting:
MONROVIA — Police are asking the public’s help in identifying an apparently mentally disabled woman who was hospitalized last month after causing a disturbance at a restaurant.
Police responded to a report of a woman causing a disturbance about 6:40 p.m. April 24 at a Subway sandwich shop at Foothill Boulevard and Primrose Avenue, Monrovia police Sgt. Patty Newton said.
The woman appeared disoriented and spoke incorehently and in a foreign language, though she also speaks English, the sergeant said.
Officials took the woman to an area mental hospital, where doctors and staff have been unsuccessful in identifying her. 
“For two weeks they were trying to communicate with her and she won’t communicate,” Newton said. “We can’t figure out who she is.”
No fingerprint matches could be found for the woman, and a search of area missing persons’ cases did not turn up a match either, police said. 
She is described as Asian, 50 to 6 years old, 4 feet 11 inches tall and about 100 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
PHOTO courtesy of the Monrovia Police Department

Family dog protects teen from rattlesnake in Monrovia

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MONROVIA – A family dog is being hailed as a hero after reportedly stepping between a teenage boy and a rattlesnake last week, and taking a venomous bite in the process.
Fourteen-year-old Daniel Whitman was with loyal Siberian husky mix “Boone” at his family’s Norumbega Drive home last week when the pet suddenly noticed something and rushed over to him, his father, Dan Whitman, told the Monrovia Patch.
That’s when the son saw that Boone had gotten in between himself and a rattlesnake lying in the yard, the father said.
A short time after the incident, the family noticed that Boone was in pain and realized he had been bitten by the venomous snake, the Patch reported.
Boone was rushed to an area veterinary clinic where he received anti-venom treatment. The rattlesnake bite cause a large wound to open on the dog’s face, however he is reportedly expected to recover.
“I’m sad that Boone took the bite but I’m thankful my son didn’t,” Dan Whitman told the Patch.