CRIME TIME : February 1st-7th

The Week in Blue

A busy week for Hermosa Beach PD with multiple drug arrests, several assaults, ongoing e-bike thefts, and the usual parade of public intoxication incidents around Pier Plaza. Here's the breakdown.

Notable Incidents

Drug Dealer Busted on 11th Street
Early morning hours of February 1st, a traffic stop at 11th Street netted a significant arrest when officers found the driver in possession of multiple packages of marijuana and a large amount of cash. The subject was arrested for possession for sales.

Parking Dispute Turns Violent
A verbal argument over a parking spot at 11th Street on February 1st escalated when one subject struck the other multiple times. The suspect was arrested for assault.

Suspect Swings Sweatshirt in Attack
In a bizarre assault on February 5th, a suspect found sleeping at the 700 block of 11th Place swung his sweatshirt multiple times at the victim when told to leave.

Romance Scam Costs Victim Thousands
In one of the more elaborate frauds this week, a victim was contacted online by multiple women claiming to be in relationships with him (December 2025-January 2026). The victim sent money to multiple women before realizing he'd been scammed.

Party Buses Bring Fake ID to Pier Plaza
Two party buses full of people showed up at Pier Plaza on February 6th. An ABC compliance check revealed at least one fake ID among the crowd inside local establishments.

Narcotics Activity

Officers were busy with drug arrests this week:

Cocaine found in a baggie on Pier Avenue (February 1st)
Three subjects arrested after being found with nitrous oxide tanks and balloons in a parked car on 2nd Street (February 4th)
Subject with outstanding warrant searched on Pier Plaza, found with both paraphernalia and controlled substances (February 6th)
Driver arrested after traffic stop revealed cocaine possession, open alcohol container in vehicle (February 7th, 11th Street)
Bicyclist stopped on Hermosa Avenue found with methamphetamine and paraphernalia (February 2nd-3rd)

Property Crimes

E-Bike Thefts Continue
Two more electric bikes were stolen this week—one from the side of a house on Longfellow Avenue (January 31-February 1), another from the common area of an apartment complex on PCH (February 2nd). Both were locked at the time.

Bicycle Theft & Recovery
In a rare success story, a stolen bicycle was tracked to a residence on Prospect Avenue where it was recovered and the suspect arrested (February 5th).

Storage Locker Burglary
Multiple items were stolen from a storage locker in a secured parking garage on 2nd Street between January 22 and February 2. The lengthy reporting delay suggests the victim may have been out of town.

Retail Theft
Two suspects walked into a store on PCH, placed multiple bottles of alcohol into bags, and walked out without paying (January 28th).

Assaults & Fights

Beyond the parking dispute and sweatshirt incident, there were multiple other physical altercations:

Subject approached victim on 5th Street and threw a punch; both exchanged blows before suspect fled (February 1st)
Physical fight broke out on The Strand at 5th Street (February 3rd)
Verbal argument over shopping cart at Pier Avenue escalated when one subject pepper-sprayed the other, leading to a physical fight (February 5th)

DUI Arrests

Four DUI arrests were made during the week:

January 31st at PCH & Pier Avenue
February 4th on Hermosa Avenue
February 7th on Pier Avenue
Plus one in Redondo Beach (RB) on Artesia Boulevard where the driver was clocked doing over 100 MPH

Quality of Life Issues

The Usual Suspects

Public urination citations issued on 11th Street (twice) and 13th Street
Public intoxication arrest on Pier Avenue (February 1st)
Intoxicated subject found injured in roadway at Pier & Valley, transported for medical care (February 1st)

Under the Pier Drama
An information report logged a subject yelling incoherently under the pier, making statements against the president and threatening the White House (February 2nd). No arrest was made.

Traffic

Multiple hit-and-run incidents with property damage were reported at:

The Strand (800 block) - January 25th
PCH (2600 block) - February 2nd
PCH (400 block) - January 27th

Officers also cited drivers for operating without licenses or with suspended/revoked licenses in multiple incidents.

Vandalism

Two vehicles were damaged during the week:

Rear driver's side window shattered on 6th Street (February 6-7)
Multiple dings found around a vehicle on Ocean View Avenue (February 7th)

Redondo Beach Activity

HBPD assisted with two high-speed incidents in Redondo Beach:

Reckless driving arrest on Artesia Boulevard with speeds exceeding 100 MPH (February 1st)
Motorcyclist fled at high speed when officers attempted a traffic stop on Hawthorne Boulevard (February 2nd)