CLAREMONT – A Los Angeles man and 17-year-old runaway from a group facility were arrested, accused of burglarizing a Claremont business October 18.

The duo are accused of burglarizing Euro Café, 546 E. Baseline Rd. Officers were dispatched at 2:47 a.m. and after arriving 30 seconds later, saw a suspect flee the business and into a waiting black Jeep SUV, according to the Claremont Police Department.

An officer attempted to block the driver from escaping, but the driver used the Jeep SUV, later determined stolen in Ontario, to ram the patrol vehicle, according to the Claremont Police Department.

While being pursued by officers, the driver and passenger fled onto Baseline Road without headlights and soon entered the eastbound 210 freeway in opposing lanes of traffic. Officers cancelled the pursuit due to the driver’s reckless nature, according to the Claremont Police Department.

“While checking the IS-210 freeway for the suspect vehicle, an officer located a traffic collision on the freeway, west of Fruit Street, involving the suspect vehicle and another vehicle. It was determined that the suspect vehicle was unoccupied, and officers responded to the area to search for the suspects,” according to the Claremont Police Department in a written statement.

One suspect was caught hiding in some bushes. A Claremont Police K9 arrived and sniffed out the second suspect who was also hiding in some bushes along the right shoulder.

Officers found in the Jeep SUV three cash registers, one reportedly taken from Euro Café, according to the Claremont Police Department.

Dejon Butler, 19, was booked on suspicion of burglary, felony evading, evading while driving the wrong way, grand theft auto, possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail ahead of a scheduled court appearance October 20.

The 17-year-old was booked on suspicion of burglary, resisting arrest and was later released to the custody of the group facility on a citation to appear in court, according to the Claremont Police Department.

The La Verne Police Department and a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Helicopter assisted with the search.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

CLAREMONT - A large safe and other personal property was recovered from the vehicle occupied by four burglary suspects who decided to flee from Claremont Police and the California Highway Patrol until they crashed and rolled their SUV in Downey Sunday night.

The suspects are accused of committing two residential burglaries May 16. Officers responded just after 8 p.m. to the 800 block of Brigham Young Drive after a resident saw three suspects armed with baseball bats enter the rear yard of a residence. Police did not find the suspects, but recovered a baseball bat. Minutes later, police responded to another address a short distance away, the Claremont Police Department said.

A residential burglary alarm was triggered just before 8:30 p.m. in the 4100 block of New Hampshire Ave. Responding officers saw a white SUV leaving the neighborhood. A Claremont officer in an unmarked police vehicle began following that white SUV. Backup officers confirmed a burglary happened at the New Hampshire home, Claremont Police Department said.

The white SUV was trailed onto the westbound 210 freeway and then to the southbound 605 freeway with additional Claremont officers and a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter also following.

The California Highway Patrol was requested to take over the chase and after attempting to conduct a traffic stop, the suspects fled at high speed.

The pursuit entered the city of Downey where the suspects attempted to exit onto Bellflower Boulevard where they crashed on the offramp and rolled in their SUV. The driver ran away, leaving his three accomplices behind in the SUV to eventually be arrested.

The driver fled through residential properties and reportedly ran into a garage where he hid briefly before officers located him with the help of a helicopter and took him into custody, according to California Highway Patrol radio traffic.

Lancaster man Dequan Clark, 20, Los Angeles man Jaheim Hickman, 19, Los Angeles man Bernard Peoples, 23, and a 15-year-old juvenile from Hawthorne were taken into custody.

Inside the SUV, officers located property reportedly taken from the home on New Hampshire Avenue, Including a large safe. Additional property was also found believed to have been stolen from a home in Chino Hills, Claremont Police said.

The three adult suspects were booked on suspicion of attempted burglary, burglary and possession of stolen property.

Two of the adult suspects are being held without bail at the Claremont Police Department Jail for probation and parole violations, while the third adult suspect is being held at the Claremont Police Department Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, Claremont Police said.

The juvenile suspect was later released on a citation to his parent. All three adult suspects are scheduled to appear at Pomona Superior Court on Tuesday, May 18, Claremont Police said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

CLAREMONT - Police saw right through a theft suspect’s flimsy lie after he tried to sneak away from them After catching their attention in a darkened Claremont neighborhood Wednesday morning.

The suspect, a 24-year-old La Verne man, is accused of stealing 15 catalytic converters. The devices, along with multiple reciprocating saws, bags of power tools and a floor creeper were all confiscated in the 400 block of Georgia Court, March 31, according to the Claremont Police Department.

The suspect reportedly tried to hide from officers who saw him suspiciously driving slowly westbound on Vista Avenue at Indian Hill Boulevard around 4:42 a.m. The suspect parked onto a driveway at a home in the 400 block of Georgia Court, but he was found.

“The officer contacted the subject as he was exiting his vehicle and walking to a front door of a home. The subject claimed he was there to visit his girlfriend. The homeowner was contacted and stated they had never seen the subject before,” according to the Claremont Police Department.

The stolen catalytic converters, which sported fresh saw cuts, and all the tools were located during a vehicle search.

The unidentified suspect was arrested and booked on suspicion of possessing stolen property. He was issued a citation and later released.

Officers are still attempting to locate victims of the thefts. Claremont officers are encouraging residents to check their vehicles how to call police if their catalytic converter is missing.

CLAREMONT - Four men are being sought in a nighttime burglary November 7 at John Elway's Claremont Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership after crashing a vehicle they attempted to take before eventually fleeing with two others, police said.

The four men arrived in a dark colored Alfa Romeo sedan at 9:35 p.m. Saturday To the dealership, 620 Auto Center Dr. Three of the four suspects ran to the service department, smashed a window to the door and stole keys to three vehicles that had been serviced. One suspect attempted to flee in a Chrysler 300, but crashed into a wall, according to the Claremont Police Department.

The three suspects eventually entered two other vehicles from the service area and escaped the property by ramming two chain-link gates. The stolen vehicles were driven east towards Indian Hill Boulevard from Auto Center Drive, followed by the fourth suspect in the Alfa Romeo, Claremont Police said.

Stolen was a black 2018 dodge Durango and a black 2016 Chrysler 300M.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

CLAREMONT - Cash was stolen from a drawer after a suspect pried through the door of a business September 30.

An alarm activated at Sanamluang, 710 S. Indian Hill Blvd, just after 3 a.m. The first arriving officer found a rear door to the restaurant was pried open, according to the Claremont Police Department.

Officers searched inside the restaurant, but the suspect fled before they arrived. Surveillance footage caught the suspect using a crowbar to gain access. The money was stored in a drawer near the front counter, Claremont Police said.

The suspect, a male in a blue hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, and white and black Nike tennis shoes fled on foot. No vehicle was seen leaving the area.

Anyone with information about burglary is urged to call the Claremont Police Department at 909- 399-5411.

CLAREMONT - A man and woman were found in possession of stolen mail and packages from at least six cities, police said.

A vigilant resident called officers around 2:35 p.m. April 7 after noticing a black Honda Civic trailing a FedEx truck. The resident witnessed someone from the Civic exit and take a package from a home in the 300 block of Rockford Drive, according to the Claremont Police Department.

The Civic left the neighborhood toward Mills Avenue. During a police search of the area, Claremont Police were called about mail theft in the 4400 block of Amundsen Branch.

CLAREMONT – Police are searching for burglary victims from Claremont, Hacienda Heights, Pico Rivera and Upland after two suspects were caught with stolen property.

Two suspects were detained during a traffic stop at Noon March 30 at Foothill Boulevard and Mills Avenue. An officer saw a large amount of stolen property and burglary tools inside the stopped Hyundai Sonata, according to the Claremont Police Department.

The suspects, a 37-year-old El Monte resident, and a 31-year-old Pomona resident were arrested.

CLAREMONT - One man was arrested at a Claremont motel after police tracked down his vehicle used in a daring liquor store burglary.

Burglars were caught on surveillance camera burrowing through drywall at La West Liquor and Market, 333 E. Arrow Hwy. March 3, in the early morning hours. The getaway vehicle was caught on camera, according to the Claremont Police Department.

​Claremont Police have not yet mentioned how many other burglars may have been involved and if they have been arrested yet.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

CLAREMONT - A husband and wife were arrested and found with hundreds of pieces of stolen mail and more, Claremont Police said.

The suspects were spotted by a Claremont Police officer after they drove away from the blue collection mailboxes at the Claremont Post Office, 140 N. Harvard Ave. at 3 a.m. December 24.

The suspects were stopped after they drove from the post office and during a consent search of their vehicle, officers additionally found checks, a long thin strip of carpet with an adhesive backing and sticky rat/mouse traps were found, Claremont Police said.

Arrested were Lennox resident Amida Urrutia, 44, and Erik Gomez, 34, from Los Angeles were arrested and booked on suspicion of identity theft, possession of stolen property, conspiracy, and burglary tools, Claremont Police said.

“If you placed your mail in the blue mailboxes in the east alley of the Post Office after 4pm on December 23, and you believe you are a victim, contact the Police Department at (909) 399-5411,” Claremont Police said.

CLAREMONT - A Pomona man was jailed December 15 after police observed him driving suspiciously through a commercial complex.

Around 10:15 p.m. December 15, an officer saw 54-year-old Michael Swett driving through the commercial complex in the 400 block of West Arrow Highway. Swett parked in the Pepper Tree Shopping Center where another officer in an undercover vehicle watched the suspect, according to the Claremont Police Department.