The Tribune CAN make a difference

This just in from Montebello reporter, Amanda Baumfeld:

It was kudos to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Whittier Daily News at Montebello's City Council Meeting Wednesday night. A community member approached the council and said an article that ran on the front page of our papers about a month ago detailing new survelience cameras in the city has discouraged taggers. He said graffitti has dropped in his area of the city by about 80 percent.

It's so nice to be appreciated!

That is the second time this week that the Tribune had an effect on crime. Earlier this week, West Covina reporter Alison Hewitt wrote a story about copper wire thieves, and how an earlier story pointed police in the right direction.

Tipster aids police in copper caper
By Alison Hewitt, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 02/11/2008 09:55:26 PM PST

Police strengthened their case against an alleged copper thief this week when a tipster told them where the electronic equipment found in one suspect's house might have come from.

James Lucero, 45, of Azusa and Randall Whitmore, 38, of Temple City were arrested Feb. 4 inside a storage room of West Covina's new 24-Hour Fitness for allegedly stealing copper and other metals.

Fuses, cables missing their wires and a metal-cutting saw were found at Whitmore's house, but didn't match any known copper-theft scenes. Without a known victim, the case would be harder to prosecute, said West Covina police Cpl. Rudy Lopez.

On Saturday, Detective Scott Fahey got a message from an anonymous man who read a newspaper story about Whitmore's arrest.

"The guy says, `I saw in the paper about the copper. Not only did Whitmore do that one, but ... he broke into a Coco's in Arcadia as well,"' Fahey said.

"I called the (police) watch commander in Arcadia, and he confirmed they had a lot of stuff stolen that matches the evidence we got from Whitmore's house," Fahey said.

Ok, our heads at the Tribune have grown. But that will change as quickly as today's news.