CRIME & SAFETY

ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) — Cornell Police are investigating an alleged rape at an undisclosed dorm. The victim told a university official the sexual assault happened Thursday, but she did not know the name of her attacker. She was able to tell officers the suspect is a six-foot-tall man who...

A pilot based at Van Nuys Airport and another pilot from Northern California died Sunday after their planes collided in midair during the final day of the National Championship Air Races in Reno. Chris Rushing of Thousand Oaks and Nick Macy of Tulelake, in Siskiyou County, had completed their race...

The Man Pleaded Guilty Last Year in the Murder of Several Victims Including Three in Santa Monica. Ramon Escobar, an El Salvadoran immigrant who pleaded guilty last year in the murder of several victims including three in Santa Monica, was charged with First-Degree Murder in a homicide committed against his cellmate, Kern County District Attorney’s office announced.

We have an update on a story we brought you Wednesday morning from Thousand Oaks. We reported that an adult male had walked into a gasoline station in the 1100 block of Avenida De Los Arboles around 8:30 PM Tuesday night suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was taken to...

A motorcycle rider was killed in a solo-vehicle crash on Lynn Road in Thousand Oaks Thursday night, authorities said. The accident was reported around 7:07 p.m. on Lynn, south of the juncture with Camino Manzanas, said Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. William Hutton. The rider was transported to Los Robles Regional Medical Center where he...

At the intersection of Yale Street and Santa Monica Boulevard, a black Audi traveling westbound struck an SMPD Traffic Services Officer on a scooter as she crossed a green light. Responding officers found the officer had been ejected from the scooter and was suffering from significant injuries. She was transported...

Santa Monica police officers are making more arrests this year but according to recent information from Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista, the rate of serious crime has now returned to pre-pandemic levels. Batista presented Council with an analysis of recent crime statistics this week comparing the first eight months...

According to SpotCrime, below are the crime dailies for Santa Monica,California on 09/14/2023. Local residents are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly to authorities.

September 22, 2023 - Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that four Thousand Oaks juveniles were arrested after participating in a street fight, in. which one of the juvenile suspects produced a knife and stabbed an adult victim in the abdomen and back. The victim suffered non-life-threatening wounds and was treated at a nearby hospital.

On the day of the report, a resident came forward with information regarding an unsettling incident in the alleys between the 9th and 10th streets, close to Arizona, in Santa Monica, California. The resident reported seeing two individuals, clad in black hoodies, employing flashlights to peer into parked cars. The anonymity granted by the shadows of the alleys failed to deter the duo, who proceeded to attempt a break-in into a white RV parked by the carport apartment building. Fortunately for the owner of the said vehicle, the resident raised an alarm, causing the suspects to flee. The report came in on 09/15/2023 at 05:34.

Mayor David J. Shapiro of Calabasas recently wrote a letter to the community. He began by acknowledging the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks. City Hall flags were lowered in honor of the 3,000 lives lost. He also mentioned a City Council meeting. The meeting focused on a report about local parks and recreational facilities. The feedback from residents was largely positive.

This week in Malibu, California, several incidents have occurred that require attention. These incidents include a lawsuit against Kanye West for firing a security guard who complained about dangerous conditions at his $57 million Malibu mansion, the arrest and subsequent suicide of a former Pepperdine Law employee involved in an underage predator sting, and a car accident in which two occupants were rescued by Malibu Search and Rescue after their vehicle plunged off the side of Las Flores Canyon.

The Santa Monica Police Department has received $6.125 million in state funding. The announcement was made by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The funds will be used to strengthen the department's fight against organized retail theft. The money will support technology-based safety initiatives for residents and businesses. Police Chief Ramon Batista acknowledged the importance of tackling retail theft in the community.

Police Chief Ramón Batista reports that the Santa Monica Police Department's active crime control strategy has been successful. He shared crime statistics showing a 34% rise in arrests in the first eight months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. This strategy has also led to fewer calls for service and more officer-generated responses.

Officers were dispatched to Red O at the 1500 block of Ocean Avenue for an individual causing a disturbance nearby. Upon arrival, at approximately 3 p.m., officers determined that the suspect, 37-year-old Ignacio Saul Ponce had entered the business and dumped a bag full of cigarette butts onto the floor. Ponce was also accused of sitting on a bench near the restaurant and making inappropriate sexual gestures towards customers who were dining at the location. Earlier in the day, at approximately 1:15 p.m., Ponce was the subject of a separate call for service where he was accused of stealing from a store on the 3rd Street Promenade. Officers noted Ponce was restless, unable to answer simple questions and extremely fidgety throughout their attempts to gather information. Based on this, Ponce was believed to be under the influence of drugs. He was placed under arrest for public intoxication. Ponce had been arrested the day prior at 11:30 p.m. on the Santa Monica Pier for also being under the influence of a controlled substance.

In a tragic turn of events, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Beau Mann, a California man who went missing in November 2021, seems to be drawing to a close. Beau Mann, aged 41, disappeared without a trace, leaving family, friends, and loved ones in a state of suspense and worry.

According to SpotCrime, below are the crime dailies for Santa Monica,California on 09/16/2023. Local residents are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly to authorities.

On Sunday, Sept. 10 at 2:45 a.m. Officers responded to 6th and Wilshire for a fight in progress. Dispatch relayed that one of the suspects had a gun on his person. Officers located the suspect believed to be in possession of the gun sitting at a nearby bus stop. Officers surround the suspect who ignored commands to reveal and then drop the gun. After over 30 minutes of negotiating, the suspect finally removed the plastic buttstock of a rifle from his pocket and was taken into custody. No firearm was located. The suspect refused to provide identifying information and was originally booked at the Santa Monica Jail as John Doe. He was later identified as 41-year-old Brandon Ellis Thomas. Thomas was arrested for resisting detention, providing false identification and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was issued a citation with a promise to return to court on December 7, 2023.

According to SpotCrime, below are the crime dailies for Santa Monica,California on 09/17/2023. Local residents are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly to authorities.

Between 7 AM and 10 AM, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna will attend a “Coffee with the Sheriff” event at the 4th Street Metro Passenger Station in Santa Monica. Additional Sheriff’s Department personnel and TSB specialized units will be present to continue to build a positive community relationship with the City of Santa Monica and Metro ridership on the Expo Line.