CRIME TIME: March 22-28

Hermosa Beach police responded to 35 reported incidents during the week of March 22-28, highlighted by a serious hit-and-run DUI crash that caused injuries, a stolen motorcycle pursuit, and successful arrests in multiple vehicle theft cases aided by tracking technology.

Hit-and-Run DUI Causes Injuries

The week's most serious incident occurred early Friday morning at Hermosa Avenue and Pier Avenue when a driver under the influence struck multiple vehicles, causing injuries to a victim, and then fled the scene. Officers located the suspect in their vehicle locally and made an arrest. The incident underscores the dangers of impaired driving and fleeing the scene of an injury collision.

Stolen Motorcycle Chase Ends in Arrest

Saturday saw a brazen incident when a subject was riding a stolen motorcycle recklessly and taunting officers at Pier Plaza. When the motorcycle was located stopped and officers approached, one subject fled while the other couldn't start the bike. The remaining suspect fled on foot but was eventually stopped and arrested at 35th and Palm Drive. The motorcycle was confirmed stolen out of LAPD. The subject resisted arrest, hit a patrol vehicle while attempting to flee, and was driving without a license.

Technology Aids Vehicle Theft Arrests

Modern tracking technology led to a significant arrest Saturday morning when an unlocked vehicle was entered on the 1300 block of Sunset Drive and items were stolen. One stolen item was tracked online, leading officers to locate the vehicle. Two subjects were arrested and found in possession of multiple items of stolen property. Both suspects had outstanding warrants.

Early Tuesday morning, another successful recovery occurred when an e-bike was stolen from 35th Street and The Strand after the lock was cut. The subject was located and arrested.

Tuesday morning also saw a stolen property arrest at 8th Street and Hermosa Avenue when a subject was contacted and admitted to having property not belonging to him. Car keys, a social security card, and State ID cards all in other people's names were located. The subject was arrested.

Vehicle Break-In Pattern

Multiple unlocked vehicle thefts occurred during the week, with four separate incidents reported in the north end. On the 1800 block of Manhattan Avenue, an unlocked vehicle was entered and various items stolen Tuesday evening. The same night, another unlocked vehicle on the 400 block of Gould Avenue was entered, rummaged through, and items stolen. A third incident on the 300 block of 26th Street saw a wallet stolen from an unlocked vehicle, later recovered locally with items missing.

In one unusual case, a victim lost their phone while on the Plaza Thursday night. Upon returning home, they tracked the phone to the police station. Officers had located it during an unrelated DUI arrest and returned it to the victim.

Identity Theft Surge

Three identity theft cases were reported during the week. The most elaborate involved a victim on the 600 block of 5th Street whose tax return was intercepted to pay a student loan they never applied for. An unknown person had used the victim's identity to open the fraudulent student loan, with the theft occurring between late February and mid-March.

Two other cases involved subjects applying for lines of credit in victims' names on the 700 block of Monterey Boulevard and an earlier unreported incident.

E-Bike & Bicycle Thefts

Beyond the arrested e-bike thief, an unlocked electric bicycle was stolen Tuesday afternoon from the 700 block of Pier Avenue, continuing a pattern of opportunistic bike thefts targeting unsecured vehicles.

DUI Arrests

Four DUI arrests were made during the week beyond the hit-and-run incident. Early Friday morning, a driver was arrested on the 200 block of Hermosa Avenue. Two arrests occurred over the weekend on Pacific Coast Highway—one early Saturday morning at the 1600 block and another early Sunday morning at the 800 block. The Sunday arrest also included charges for driving without a license and an open container violation.

Vandalism

Three vandalism incidents were reported. A rear window of a vehicle was shattered but remained intact on the 200 block of 4th Street between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Graffiti appeared on the front door of a business on the 00 block of 14th Street overnight Sunday. Thursday night saw a Toyota emblem and grill removed from a vehicle on the 300 block of 28th Street.

Weapons & Quality of Life

A verbal argument on Pier Avenue Saturday evening escalated when one subject pepper sprayed another.

Two public intoxication arrests were made—one Friday evening on Pacific Coast Highway and another Wednesday morning on the 700 block of Pier Ave. A citation was issued Wednesday morning for amplified sound on Pier Avenue.

Hit-and-Run Pattern Continues

Three additional hit-and-run incidents with property damage only were reported at 100 block Herondo Street on Tuesday, 33rd Street and Manhattan Avenue on Saturday, and Pacific Coast Highway and 2nd Street the previous Wednesday (March 19).

Other Incidents

A bicycle accident Thursday morning on the 1100 block of Cypress Avenue resulted in injuries when one cyclist collided with another. The injured party was transported for medical care.

An e-bike accident Saturday evening on the 2600 block of Hermosa Avenue sent a rider to the hospital with no other parties involved.

An information report documented a patio theft from late February where multiple items were stolen from an apartment on the 400 block of 2nd Street.

Thursday evening, a subject was found attempting to stay at a residence on the 300 block of Hopkins Street without the owner's permission.

Found property included two bicycles, an envelope with an item inside, and a wallet.