CRIME TIME: May 24-30

Hermosa Beach police reported 38 incidents during the week of May 24-30, marked by a violent baseball bat assault on a parked vehicle, a spike in retail thefts and purse snatchings on Pier Avenue, and a pattern of vehicle thefts including one where stolen payment methods were used for fraudulent charges.

Baseball Bat Assault

Wednesday afternoon brought a shocking incident on the 2100 block of Pacific Coast Highway when a subject used a baseball bat to strike the windows of a vehicle while a person was sitting inside. The suspect was located and arrested.

Vehicle Thefts & Fraud

Two vehicles were stolen during the week. Monday night, a vehicle parked in a church parking lot on the 1500 block of Manhattan Avenue was stolen. A wallet inside the vehicle and a debit card left in it were subsequently used to make fraudulent charges.

Early Saturday morning, a vehicle was stolen from a driveway on the 2800 block of The Strand, with similar consequences—financial instruments left inside were later used for fraudulent transactions.

Pier Avenue Theft Pattern

Pier Avenue saw a concentrated cluster of thefts targeting personal belongings. Saturday night, a victim left a fanny pack in a restroom and it was stolen. Later that evening, a cell phone was stolen from a jacket pocket. Sunday evening brought three more Pier Avenue thefts: a cell phone stolen from a purse and a phone with wallet attached stolen from another purse. A fourth purse theft was reported on Pier Avenue early Monday morning.

Retail Theft & Shoplifting

Two retail thefts were reported. Tuesday morning on the 100 block of Pacific Coast Highway, two subjects entered a store, took numerous toiletries and cosmetics, and left without paying. Sunday afternoon on the 700 block of Pier Avenue, two subjects entered a store, concealed over-the-counter medications, and left without paying.

Stolen Property & Fraud

Wednesday, a subject opened a mail package on the 1800 block of Pacific Coast Highway and took the contents, demonstrating the vulnerability of residential mail delivery.

A notebook containing passwords and account numbers was stolen between May 5-19 from the 1600 block of Ardmore Avenue, representing a significant identity theft risk.

Saturday morning on the 1500 block of Manhattan Avenue, subjects were seen exiting a vehicle and entering a waiting vehicle. A traffic stop found the subjects had stolen items. Both were located and arrested.

DUI & Narcotics

Early Monday morning on the 500 block of Pier Avenue, a subject was arrested for public intoxication and found to be in possession of cocaine.

Quality of Life Issues

Four public intoxication arrests were made during the week at various downtown and residential locations.

Three public urination citations were issued, including one incident Wednesday evening at Aviation Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway where the subject refused to sign the citation and was brought to the station and booked.

Two public nuisance citations for unauthorized disabled person placards were issued.

Threats & Harassment

A subject left voicemail requesting inappropriate sexual massage services and threatened a business on Pier Avenue between Saturday morning and Monday evening. The business reported the harassment.

Other Incidents

Sunday evening, a bar on the 800 block of Hermosa Avenue was serving alcohol after 2 AM. An information report was filed.

Tuesday evening on the 5th Street and The Strand area, a subject was DJing with multiple speakers, was advised more than once to stop, and was later cited for municipal code violation.

Friday afternoon at Ardmore Avenue and Pier Avenue, a subject missed a curb and fell. The subject was transported for medical care.

Found property included air pods, a challenge coin, wallets, a bicycle, and a scooter. Keys were reported lost. An e-bike was taken for safekeeping after a traffic collision.

A firearm and accessories were brought in for destruction, and a subject fell off an e-bike and was injured.