by Liz Mullen
HBPD turns tech on burglars
Hermosa Beach Police Department detectives used technology, including surveillance cameras, a license plate reader and drones, to catch a man they believe burglarized at least four vehicles in the city in January, February and March of this year.
“With the help of technology we have seen a significant impact on criminals who are no longer able to sneak around at night under the cloak of darkness,” HBPD Chief Paul LeBaron told the city council on Tuesday, March 25. LeBaron has helped the HBPD become a high-tech police force by winning state and federal grants for crime-fighting technology, including high resolution cameras and a real time crime center.
That technology, as well as surveillance cameras not controlled by the police, including one at a gas station, helped HBPD apprehend the suspect they believe responsible for a late night vehicle window smashing and burglary spree.
It started in January when someone broke into two vehicles parked in Hermosa, stealing a bunch of valuables, including a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro.
There was another vehicle burglary in the city in February, and police were able to see the suspect on surveillance video. HBPD detectives were able to cross match that video with license plate readers at intersections throughout the city.
“We were able to identify the suspect vehicle because he passed through a monitored intersection,” LeBaron told the city council. In March there was yet another vehicle burglary –this time of an unlocked car. The suspect got away with a wallet and two high-end cameras. There were no cameras in the area, but there was a camera at a nearby gas station.
“We were able to receive video from that gas station of the suspect and his vehicle and this allowed us to link all those cases together,” LeBaron said. “The suspect, we learned, was staying in Downey. We were able to utilize surveillance, which included our drones to identify the possible location of the suspect,” LeBaron said.
Downey Police Department officers arrested him and HBPD detectives picked him up and charged him with burglary, theft with priors and felony vehicle burglary. HBPD has presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office for prosecution.
LeBaron noted that all of the burglaries were preventable and asked residents not leave valuables in their vehicles overnight. LeBaron described the suspect as career criminal with a long history of committing property crimes.
“We know that he came into our city on at least three separate times with an intent to steal,” LeBaron said. “We know because we watched it. We know that he would walk up and down the street looking into cars for valuables. We know that when he found a car with valuables in it he would immediately break the windows, take the items and leave.”
HBPD helps homeless elder find housing
An elderly woman who was a longtime Hermosa Beach resident, but lost her apartment and had been living in her car, agreed to accept help and shelter after a Hermosa Beach Police Department officer intervened.
HBPD Officer Keaton Dadigan told the Easy Reader officers got word about the woman who had been living in her car in a grocery store parking lot for several months.
“She informed me that she was a long time Hermosa resident and lost her apartment last year,” Dadigan said. “She has not been able to afford rent and has since been living in her car. We felt awful for her.”
HBPD reached out to Harbor Interfaith in San Pedro, a non-profit which has staff in Hermosa offering services to the homeless. A Harbor Interfaith caseworker arranged for housing for the woman. But getting housing was the easy part. Getting her to accept it was another matter.
The woman initially was not interested in accepting the offer and Dadigan had an hour-long conversation with her, trying to convince her.
“I had to build rapport with her,” Dadigan said. “Towards the end, I asked if she was hungry and offered to buy her something from a nearby store. The one thing she really wanted was a Pepsi. I was happy to buy this for her.”
After getting the Pepsi, the woman agreed to the offer from Harbor Interfaith. She was taken to a home in San Pedro where she will have food, medical services and housing.
“Sometimes we encounter dozens of homeless in a day,” Dadigan said. “Usually, they refuse help and resources. It was nice to have a success story like this, especially for someone so elderly.”
