A federal investigation of a San Gabriel Valley-based Asian crime syndicate led to the arrests of 18 suspected Red Door gang members in several San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. The effort was dubbed "Operation Paint it Black." Authorities seized seven guns, 12,500 ecstasy pills, 2,230 marijuana plants and a Lamborghini. The 18 were indicted on drug trafficking and international marriage fraud charges.
A joint raid by more than 200 deputies and officers, targeting parolees with connections to the Pasadena Denver Lanes Blood gang, resulted in 15 arrests on charges ranging from possession of narcotics to weapons. The 6:00 AM raid occurred simultaneously at 71 residences in Altadena, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Monrovia, Arcadia and Temple City.
Local residents fearful after fifth fatality in Monrovia/Duarte area. Arcadia teen Gabriel Shea Carlos was shot dead at approximately 1:40 a.m. last Sunday in the 400 block of Shrode Avenue. Mourners say that is a dangerous area with at least two gangs, but Carlos was not a gang member.
The arraignment of Gerardo Cortez, of Monrovia, has been postponed to October 25, 2013. He allegedly made a series of telephone threats to several San Gabriel Valley locations, including a shopping mall, a medical center, and several schools, including Arcadia High School. The caller said he had an AK-47 gun and threatened to shoot people. The joint police forces from Arcadia, Covina and Monrovia, the FBI, and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs had investigated.
A fire leads Arcadia Police Department to 2,489 marijuana plants in the 2400 block of Louise Avenue. Suspects stole an estimated $20,000 in power from Southern California Edison for elaborate operation.
Four men try to rob an Arcadia couple outside their home near Lovell Avenue and Camino Real Avenue. They are in the jewelry business and just got home after attending a trade show. The couple believe the robbers followed them home. Anyone with information should call Arcadia police detectives.
Arcadia police arrested 3 burglary suspects after a high-speed chase on the 210 Freeway ended in a crash in Azusa yesterday. The suspects are Dominic Bertirotti, 23, of Monrovia, Salim Alayache, 23 of Pasadena and Salvador Esparza, Jr., 18 of Azusa. No one was injured seriously.
Arcadia, Monrovia, and Duarte schools all forced to lock down this week due to phoned in threats of a gunman on 4 separate campuses. On Thursday, September 12, the caller contacted Arcadia Police Department, reporting "he was at Arcadia High School and that he was going to start shooting students with an assault rifle." A second call was received during the police search of the campus that told officers to back off or they would be shot. No suspects of weapons were found.
Santa Anita Park. Task force to explore race horse fatalities. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey opens investigation to determine any criminal wrongdoing.
San Gabriel Valley police officers and firefighters, including Arcadia Police Department and Arcadia Fire Department, competed in a charity basketball tournament at Arcadia High School to benefit Special Olympics Southern California. It was organized by Arcadia Police detective Walter Ashby.
Arcadia burglary ring busted after morning raids in Pasadena, Altadena. A multi-agency task force arrested Shawn Ashton Sykes, 21, and Koreana Channise Muhammad, 19, both of Altadena. Prior to the raids, Kenneth Wayne Jaynes, 21, of Altadena, was arrested at the scene of the March 13 residential break-in in the 1100 block of West Foothill Boulevard.
The 2001 murder of grocer Adel Karas, a 48-year old Egyptian man from Arcadia, a few days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, was initially thought to have been a hate crime. He was shot at his store International Market at 1381 E. Last Tunas in San Gabriel. Now police suspect Adel Karas was the victim of extortion. The suspects are two Latinos in their mid-20s.
Southern California Edison (SCE) works to restore power to crisis areas after a destructive 70 mph windstorm hit yesterday early morning, and caused power outages in Pasadena, San Gabriel, Alhambra, Arcadia, Altadena, Monrovia, El Monte, Sierra Madre, Temple City, and San Marino.
Arcadia police nab residential burgler suspect 18-year-old Hassan Deontrae Murphy after a high speed pursuit. The residential burglary happened on the 2000 block of Carolwood Drive.
Attempted murder/suicide by trying to drive off Chantry Flat at Santa Anita Dam. Suspect holed up at the dam house, SWAT called. The suspect, a 21-year-old Los Angeles resident named Patrick Anthony Gonzalez, was arrested by Arcadia police.
Two Arcadia women were robbed at knifepoint on October 14, 2013 at about 3:10 AM at a residence in the 200 block of El Dorado Street. Police are investigating.
"Baby factories" in Arcadia? City of Arcadia forms a task force to look into the matter of motels, such as Santa Anita Inn, and residential homes, being used to house expectant mothers from overseas, particularly China. These women want their children born in the U.S. to garner citizenship for that child.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Baldwin family push to revive Baldwin Lake. The 4-acre lake in the middle of the Arboretum stands polluted, filled with tons of mud and filth from years of urban runoff. Tony Zampiello, executive officer of the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster, along with the county's Department of Parks and Recreation, have formed a task force with goal of dredging the old lake built by Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin in the late 19th century. Margaux Viera, Baldwin's great-great-great granddaughter, a member of the "Save Baldwin Lake" task force, says the shoreline around the lake is collapsing and eroding. See hard copy in VF "Arboretum."
Thousands of San Gabriel Valley customers will be receiving refunds from Golden State Water Company after state regulators ruled the San Dimas-based company failed to properly oversee contracts that led to overcharging customers. The CPUC ruled that Golden State must refund Northern California and Southern California customers $9.5 million over the next 3 years and/or lower rates. About $400,000 in refunds will be given to 100,000 Southern California customers, including customers in Charter Oak, Claremont, Covina, Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Walnut, San Gabriel, Arcadia, El Monte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Rosemead and Temple City.