Category Archives: vandalism

Azusa teens accused of spray-painting graffiti on convenience store, homeless man in Covina

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COVINA >> Police arrested three Azusa teens early Saturday on suspicion of spray-painting graffiti on the back wall of a convenience store, as well as on the homeless man who was sleeping there, officials said.
Bowilliam Rendon, 18, Irving Aguilar, 18, and a 17-year-old boy, all from Azusa, were booked on suspicion of felony vandalism following their arrests shortly after 12:30 a.m. outside 7-Eleven, 1275 W. San Bernardino Road, Covina police Sgt. Ryan Davis said.
An officer spotted the three young men next to a car parked behind the convenience store and approached them, the sergeant said. They were detained as they started to leave.
Police discovered an estimated $500 worth of vandalism damage in the form of black graffiti, Davis said.
A homeless man who was asleep nearby had also been scrawled with graffiti on his back and hands, the sergeant said. He remained asleep during the incident and was awakened by police after it occurred. He did not wish to press charges.
Police released the juvenile suspect to his parents with a written promise to appear in court, Davis said.
According to county booking records, Rendon and Aguilar were being held in lieu of $5,000 bail each pending their initial court appearances, scheduled Tuesday in the West Covina branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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Man just released from jail accused of smashing front door of Covina police station

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COVINA >> A Covina man angered over his misdemeanor arrest ended up right back behind for felony vandalism after he smashed the front glass door of the Covina Police Department with a rock immediately upon his release from jail Friday afternoon, police said.
Jose Alberto Melendez, 54, was released just after 5:10 p.m. from the Covina Police Department’s jail, 444 N. Citrus Ave., after being arrested earlier in the afternoon on suspicion of trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia, Covina police Lt. Dave Foster said.
He immediately walked from the back of the building, where he was released, to the front of the police station, the lieutenant said.
Melendez threw a rock through the plate glass door of the station, which was seen and heard by several department personnel, according to the lieutenant. Officers then re-arrested him just outside the police department.
According to county booking records, Melendez was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, scheduled Tuesday in the West Covina branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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UPDATED: Man sought in arson, vandalism spree targeting 6 La Verne businesses

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LA VERNE >> Police are seeking a man who went on an arson and vandalism spree targeting six La Verne businesses Tuesday night.
The rampage unfolded shortly before 10 p.m. at a string of businesses along Foothill Boulevard, between Damien Avenue and Baseline Road, La Verne police officials said in a written statement.
Arson suspect photoThe vandal lit a vehicle on fire outside a Molly Maid business, as well as a gazebo at the neighboring business, Outdoor Elegance, and two trash cans at a Jack-in-the-Box restaurant and a 76 gas station across the street, officials said.
He also smashed windows at Outdoor Elgance, Inland Dental and Kiddie Academy, police said. At the diner, he set fire to a grease container.
Mr. D’s Diner was open for business when the suspect lit the grease collector on fire outside the rear of the store.
Employees were unaware of the fire as the man entered the restaurant, gobbled down salad and left without paying his bill. The fire was discovered a short time later and extinguished by employees.
Based on the man’s strange behavior, “We believe he was impaired,” Detective Matthew Hadan said. During the destructive spree, “He was kind of just wandering around, almost aimlessly.”
Hadan said, all of the fired remained relatively small.
“It could have been way worse,” the detective said. “It was very fortunate.”
A dollar-value estimate of the damage caused by the vandal was not available. The motive in the seemingly random destruction was unclear.
Police described the arsonist as a white man, 19 to 20 years old, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, 145 pounds, with black wavy hair.
Anyone with information is asked to contact La Verne police Detective Matthew Hadan at 909-596-1913. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

VIDEO courtesy of the La Verne Police Department.

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Pasadena woman taken for psychiatric evaluation following window smash spree in Sierra Madre, Arcadia

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Police took a woman for psychiatric evaluation after a rock-throwing vandalism spree that caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to cars and buildings in Sierra Madre and Arcadia early Saturday.
The woman, a 35-year-old Pasadena resident, was expected to face vandalism charges once released from the hospital, Sierra Madre police officials said in a written statement.
The alleged rock rampage unfolded between about 7 and a.m., officials said.
Sierra Madre police received reports that the windows of three buildings and one car in their city had been smashed with rocks.
“While officers from the Sierra Madre Police Department were investigating the incidents, they soon learned that numerous locations were also vandalized with rocks in the City of Arcadia,” according to the statement.
Several cars at the Westfield Santa Anita shopping mall, another car at the north end of Arcadia and a glass door at the Arboretum had also had their windows smashed with rocks, Arcadia police Sgt. Dan Crowther said.
Crowther spotted a car matching the description of the Sierra Madre vandal driving in Arcadia about 8 a.m., he said. He pulled over the car and detained the woman driving without incident.
“(A) witness positively identified the vehicle and the female driver as the one seen leaving the scene of one of the vandalisms that occurred in Sierra Madre,” the Sierra Madre police statement said. “During an inventory search of the suspect’s vehicle, numerous rocks — similar to the rocks found at the above crime scenes — were located inside the cab of the car.”
Police in Arcadia were still seeking witnesses Sunday to link the woman to the vandalisms in their city, Crowther said.
The woman appeared to be suffering from psychiatric issues and was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, officials said.
She faces potential charges of felony vandalism once released from treatment, police added.
The value of the damage in Sierra Madre was estimated at more than $3,000. An estimate of the damage in Arcadia was not available.

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