Community Corner

Police Bust Alleged Parcel Thieves, Find Lots of Meth

Residents had reported that thieves swiped packages from their properties, so police upped the patrols in the affected neighborhoods.

A man and woman whom police say trolled the Monterey Hills neighborhood looking for unattended packages were arrested Tuesday, and busted with a bunch of methamphetamine, authorities said. 

Sgt. Brian Solinsky said residents reported parcel thefts on Monday and Tuesday in the 1900 block of Edgewood Drive and the 100 block of Monterey Road. At least one witnesse told authorities she saw an unidentified man in his 30s with a shaved head walk on to a resident's property and steal two packages, then dash into a car where a female waited for him behind the wheel. During another theft, the man with the shaved head snagged a box, then drove away.

Officers on Tuesday spotted a brown SUV in the area of Hanscom Drive and St. Albans Avenue. The driver and passenger matched the suspects' descriptions, Solinsky said. Police stopped the vehicle in the 100 block of Monterey Road where they found two UPS boxes, later determined to be the stolen parcels. Additionally, police found "a large quality of methampheatmine,'' Solinsky said.

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The three people in the vehicle, two who matched the witness' description, all had police records. All three were arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell. 

Arrested were Jovana Rodriguez, 30, of El Monte, Richard Sanchez, 27, of Los Angeles and Manuel Herron, 35, of Los Angeles. Rodriguez has a "significant record of narcotics possession and sales, and Herron has a burglary background and a warrant for his arrest for violating probation,'' Solinsky said.

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A South Pasadena resident said that she saw one of the thefts occur on Monday.

"He walked up and took the package from Amazon.com off the second story apt when the residents weren't home. He took the package and covered it up in an oversized grey sweatshirt while the female driver looked on anxiously. I called police immediately,'' the resident said. 

Police booked the three suspects and transferred them to the jail at the Pasadena Police Departmen. They are expected to be arraigned Thursday. 

 

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