Pico Rivera: February 2012 Archives

PICO RIVERA - A 17-year-old Pico Rivera boy was shot in the shoulder after a passenger in a sport utility vehicle fired several times at a group of teens Tuesday.

The shooting broke out at 12:55 p.m. on Washington and Passons boulevards. Sheriff's gang deputies believe the suspects are gang members.

Sgt. Mark Bailey said the shooter shouted the name of a Pico Rivera gang before firing at two boys and two girls who were at a bus stop.

But he said the victims aren't gang members.

Before the shooting, Bailey said a green Pathfinder stopped by the teens and the driver asked where they were from. The four denied being in a gang.

It appeared the man left and returned a short time later with a passenger, investigators said.

The passenger pointed a gun at the group, yelled out a gang's name and shot three times.

The injured teen ended up with a bullet lodged in his shoulder, however the wound did not appear life-threatening, Lt. Robert Smith said.

The shooter was described as a Latino in his 20s with black hair that was slicked back. He wore a black shirt.

The driver was also described as a Latino man in his 20s who was wearing a gray shirt, officials said.

- Staff report

PICO RIVERA -- A sheriff's bomb squad responded to a recycling facility Thursday after workers found a grenade, which was ultimately found to be inert, authorities said.

The bomb squad was summoned to Waste Management, in the 8400 block of Loch Lomond Drive, shortly before 6 p.m., according to Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Ben Grubb.

"The informant stated workers at the location found the device during a sorting process of collected waste," Grubb said. "An evacuation of the area was conducted."

Bomb squad officials investigated and determined the grenade contained no explosives and was not a threat, he said.

PICO RIVERA -- Deputies will target both unsafe motorcyclist and car drivers next week as they embark on a motorcycle safety enforcement campaign, officials said.

The crackdown -- aimed at reducing motorcycle-related fatalities -- will take place Feb. 24 throughout Pico Rivera, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement.

 "Extra deputies will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur," the statement said. "Deputies will be looking for drivers and riders who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and cracking down on traffic violations made by motorcyclists as well as other vehicle drivers that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries, and fatalities."

After 10 years of steadily rising motorcycle deaths, from 204 in in 1998 to 560 in 2008, fatal motorcycle crashes have declined in over the past two years, sheriff's officials said.

There were 394 motorcycle deaths reported in 2009, and 352 in 2010.

"This is positive trend that we want to see continue," the sheriff's statement said.

"The terrible trend of rising motorcyclist fatalities has been reversed, though there is more that everyone can do to save more lives," California Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher Murphy said. "Riders and drivers need to respect each other and share the road."

The upcoming enforcement campaign is being funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Motorcycle rider training is offered through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. For information, visit www.CA-msp.org, or call 877-743-3411.

PICO RIVERA -- Deputies performing a random probation compliance check early Thursday arrested a man on suspicion of breaking into a TV repair shop hours earlier.

Roman Vega Escobar, 40, a resident of unincorporated West Whittier, was booked on suspicion of burglary, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Robert Smith said.

A passer-by called authorities just after 6:30 a.m. to report seeing a front window smashed at World Electronics, 9355 Telegraph Road in Pico Rivera, the lieutenant said.

Deputies responded and determined a burglar had broken in, and two big-scree TVs -- one 47-inch and one 36-inch -- had been taken, Smith said.

Meanwhile, he said, deputies assigned to the sheriff's Community Oriented Policing Team were visiting local probationers to make sure they were in compliance with the terms of their probations.

When they visited Escobar's home in the 8300 block in the 8300 block of Summerfield Avenue in West Whittier about 7 a.m., deputies noticed two big-screen TVs, including one that was wrapped in plastic, according to sheriff's officials and county booking records.

After contacting the business owner, deputies confirmed that the TVs found in Escobar's home were taken from World Electronics, Smith said.

Escobar was being held in lieu of $40,250 bail pending arraignment Tuesday in Whittier Superior Court, records indicated.

PICO RIVERA -- Three men robbed another man at gunpoint and slashed his hand with a knife Thursday before fleeing the scene in a car with a "Baby on Board" sticker on the back, authorities said.

The crime took place just after 1:20 p.m. at Coolhurst Drive and Pico Vista Road, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Ernest Bille said.

A man in his 20s was walking when he was approached by three robbers in a white, 4-door, 90s-model Honda Accord with a "Baby on Board" sticker adorning the rear, the sergeant said.

At least two of the robbers exited the car and demanded cash from the victim, who turned over about $15, the sergeant said. A struggle took place during the robbery, during which the victim suffered a minor slash to his hand.

In addition to a knife, the robbers also brandished a handgun during the crime, Bille said.

The robbers were initially described only as a white man, a Latino man and a black man, he added.

The suspects' car was last seen heading south on Pico Vista Road toward Washington Boulevard.

PICO RIVERA -- Detectives have recovered 14 charity gum dispensary stolen from area local businesses as they continued seeking the man suspected of pilfering them, authorities said.

The investigation began in January when a representative of a children's cancer charity reported to sheriff's officials that five plastic collection boxes had been stolen from businesses in the Pico Rivera and Norwalk area, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Robert Smith said.

A man had taken the boxes pretending to be a representative of the charity, Smith said. He told shopkeepers that he was a new employee of the charity, and he had been instructed to collect the boxes.

An investigation led by Detective Eric Callahan identified a suspect, and officials carried out a search warrant Thursday at the man's Lakewood home, Smith said.

Deputies recovered the five missing donation boxes, long with six others, the lieutenant said. The gum remained in the boxes, though the money had been taken.

Eight of the 14 boxes were determined to belong to a children's cancer charity called the "Hope for Kids Foundation," Smith said.

Detectives were still working Friday to determine who owned the other six donation boxes, he added. They were believed to belong to another children's charity.

Detectives withheld the suspect's name pending his arrest, Smith said.

Anyone with information about the thefts, or who knows who may own the six recovered collection boxes which haven't been accounted for yet, is asked to call the sheriff's Pico Rivera Station at 562-949-2421.