CLAREMONT – Police made 10 arrests and recovered two handguns and various prescription drugs during an eight-hour crime suppression at hotels near the I-10 freeway and Indian Hill Boulevard May 12.

Nine officers worked the crime suppression detail. One person was arrested for concealing a loaded firearm and one person was arrested for possessing an unserialized “ghost gun.” Other arrests were made for possession of Oxycodone and Xanax laced with Fentanyl for sale, possession of narcotics, soliciting on the freeway, driving with a suspended license and arrests were made for outstanding warrants, according to the Claremont Police Department.

The crime suppression detail was in operation from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Two hazardous citations and one vehicle impound was made, according to the Claremont Police Department.

Concerns and complaints from the community spurred the Claremont Police Department to act on the area and its numerous hotels

“The Claremont Police Department is also collaborating with the Pomona Police Department, District Attorney Gascón, Project Sister Family Services, and the Committee for Safe and Healthy Housing to provide education, outreach, and resources related to human trafficking in the region,” according to the Claremont Police Department in a written statement.

CLAREMONT – Claremont Police officers and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Marijuana Enforcement Team are still searching for the people responsible for a large marijuana grow house that operated in a residential area.

A search warrant was served at the home in the 100 block of Kirkwood Avenue March 28 at 8 a.m. Every room was reportedly filled with marijuana plants in various stages of growth, 667 in all, and also removed 120 pounds of drying cannabis and 80 pounds of processed cannabis according to the Claremont Police Department.

“The extreme measures used to illegally grow the marijuana endangered the neighborhood. The home was filled with non-code compliant wiring used to power special lighting and air filtration systems. These lighting systems are often the source of fires within a grow,” according to the Claremont Police Department in a written statement. “The lighting system was disconnected to eliminate the hazard to the public. The City’s Building Inspector has “red-tagged” the building deeming it unsafe to occupy.”

The street value of the seized plants and products exceeds $500,000, according to the Claremont Police Department.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Claremont Police Department at 909-399-5411.

CLAREMONT – 1,610 marijuana plants were found flourishing in various stages of growth inside a rental home, Claremont Police said.

Funnily enough, firefighters were called at 4:20 p.m. to the home in the 4100 block of New Hampshire Avenue April 7 to smoke seen coming from a home. Firefighters discovered an attic fire and marijuana plants within, according to the Claremont Police Department.

With the help of a search warrant, Claremont officers found every room had plants growing within. The street value of the plants was estimated at more than $1 million.

“The extreme measures used to illegally grow the marijuana endangered the neighborhood. The fire was most likely caused by the unpermitted electrical wiring,” according to the Claremont Police Department in a written statement. “The home was filled with jerry-rigged wiring used to power special lighting and air filtration systems, including wiring that bypassed the electrical meter and circuit breakers. The electrical power to the residence was disconnected to eliminate the hazard for the public.”

The rental property was initially rented out as a fully-furnished home. It was seriously damaged by the work done for the grow operation. The home was deemed unsafe and was red-tagged, the Claremont Police Department said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

CLAREMONT - One man was found with a large quantity of narcotics, another was found with a loaded handgun during a potential drug transaction in a Claremont parking structure January 30.

A Claremont Police dispatcher witnessed several vehicles arrive in the city-owned structure, 470 W. 1 St., around 2:13 a.m. All five suspects then gathered in one vehicle, according to the Claremont Police Department.

Police detained all five suspects.

“One of the subjects, a 23-year-old Pomona resident who was on probation, was found to be in possession of narcotics packaged for sales. Another passenger, a 21-year-old resident of Adelanto, was found to have a loaded handgun in his pants pocket,” Claremont Police said in a written statement.

The other three suspects were issued citations for loitering at the parking structure and were released.

The city approved a “no loitering” ordinance November 24, 2020 to help reduce criminal activity in the city-owned parking structure.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

CLAREMONT - A 39-year-old Claremont man crashed a VW Jetta November 22 while evading police and officers discovered drugs and handguns in the car.

The unidentified driver refused to stop for an officer who reportedly observed the suspect commit a traffic violation at Indian Hill and Bonita Avenue around 11:08 a.m. During the chase, the driver lost control and crashed into some trees at Elder Drive and Green Street, according to the Claremont Police Department.

“Upon officers conducting a search of the vehicle, they found a loaded .380 Jimenez Arms Inc. handgun located inside a sock in the center console and a loaded Springfield Armory XD 9mm handgun on the ground. Also found inside the vehicle was Xanax, heroin, and methamphetamine, all packaged for sales,” Claremont Police said in a written statement.

The suspect was arrested and booked on suspicion of illegal possession of firearms and possession for sales. The suspect had a female passenger, but there was no word if she was arrested, or set free.

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.