Diamond Bar: January 2012 Archives

DIAMOND BAR -- Detective have renewed their call for the public's help in tracking down a man who robbed a bank last year.

The robbery took place about 1:30 p.m. Aug. 30, 2011, at the Cal Bank and Trust, 1200 S. Diamond Bar Blvd., according to Detective Angel Matute of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau.

Authorities have a high-quality surveillance images of the suspect and believe he may still be in the area, so they again called on the public this week to see if they recognize the bandit, Matute said.

"(The suspect) has committed other crimes in the same general vicinity along Diamond Bar Boulevard," according to a wanted flyer issued by the sheriff's department. "It is believed that he either lives in, or regularly frequents, the area."

Information on other crimes the man is suspected of was not available Friday.

Investigators described the robber as a white man in his 40s, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes and a thin brown and gray beard. He wore a baseball cap, black rimmed glasses, a white long-sleeved shirt with a zipper and denim shorts, and he carried a black bag.

"Due to the thin growth of beard, the suspect may have only grown the beard to help disguise his face. He may now be clean-shaven," according to the wanted flyer.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at 909-595-2264.

DIAMOND BAR -- A fiery SUV crash forced the closure of most lanes of the eastbound 60 Freeway Friday, however the driver escaped the accident with only minor injuries, authorities said.

The crash was first reported at 10:08 on the eastbound 60 Freeway, just west of Grand Avenue, California Highway Patrol Officer Jennifer Connolly said.

A solo SUV overturned and caught fire, however a woman who was driving the vehicle got out of the car with only minor injuries, the officer said.

Officials briefly shut down all by the carpool lane of the eastbound freeway following the crash, though all traffic lanes were reopened just over an hour later, according to CHP logs.

The cause of the crash was being investigated by the Baldwin Park office of the CHP.

- Staff photo by Watchara Phomicinda

DIAMOND BAR -- Two men and a woman suspected of breaking into a Diamond Bar woman's home Tuesday are behind bars, authorities said Wednesday.

Chaka Thomas, 18, Shaquille O'Neil Gordon, 18, and Monquie Scruggs, 30, all of Los Angeles, were booked on suspicion of residential burglary, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Steven Katz said in a written statement.

A woman in the 20000 block of Gold Run Drive was startled shortly after noon by a burglar who forced open the front door of her house, Katz said.

The intruder fled upon seeing the woman, who was able to provide deputies a description of the suspect and the vehicle he fled in, the lieutenant said.

A deputy spotted a car matching the description nearby and detained Thomas, O'Neil and Scruggs, who were later identified as those responsible for the break-in, Katz said.

According to county booking records, all three suspects were being held in lieu of $50,000 bail each pending their initial court appearances Thursday in Pomona Superior Court.