Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - A Palmdale man is facing grand theft charges, accused of attempting to steal diesel fuel from a Arco fuel pump Wednesday morning.

Officers responded to Arco, 15875 E. Arrow Hwy., just after 9:30 a.m. September 4 to investigate suspicious activity involving a white cargo van. After detaining a suspect, officers determine he was attempting to steal diesel fuel from a pump and was arrested, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

An investigation of the scene led officers to believe that the van posed a threat to public safety. The gas station and convenience store were taped off and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Arson/Explosives Detail was called to render the van safe.

A bomb squad robot inspected the van.

The area was determined safe. The gas station reopened around 1:15 p.m., according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Sargis Kocharyan, a 30-year-old Palmdale man, was arrested and booked at the West Covina Police Department jail.

Kocharyan is being held without bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court Friday, September 6.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
​CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - A rider on a reported stolen Suzuki motorcycle decided to play hide & seek with police Sunday after fleeing on foot.

The motorcyclist was found on the extension of the San Gabriel River Trail bike path just east of City of Hope January 21. Officers attempted to stop the motorcyclist around 1:49 a.m., but he refused, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The pursuit reached speeds of 79 miles an hour. The rider, identified as 33-year-old El Monte man Sergio Alejandro Tejada Perez, bailed from the stolen motorcycle and tried to hide in some bushes near the 605 freeway and 210 freeway interchange.

Perez was booked on suspicion of evading, possession of a stolen vehicle and drug paraphernalia charges.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Officers discovered freshly-stolen underground conduit reportedly taken from an industrial yard April 30.

The theft took place at a utility yard operated by Henkels & McCoy, 13570 Live Oak Ln., Sunday morning.

Arriving officers found a white SUV inside of the property, which is highly restricted. The vehicle failed to yield during an attempted traffic stop and it was driven a short distance before three occupants inside ran away, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The three suspects scaled a perimeter fence and ran onto lanes of the nearby 605 freeway. All three suspects were found and taken into custody. Amongst the stolen conduit were burglary tools likely used in the grand theft.

Arrested was West Covina resident Eric Graham, 37, Jesus Soto, 33, and Abraham Saldivar, 39. The latter two are residents of El Monte.

All three suspects were booked on suspicion of grand theft, possession of burglary tools and delay/resist a police officer in the course of duty charges. They also had a number of various outstanding warrants, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

“This call happened during our shift overlap. Officers who worked the previous shift had already changed out, heard the call go out over the radio, suited back up and responded to assist,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement. “One officer was already on his way home and returned.”

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE – Two men in a stolen vehicle were caught after trying, but failing, to escape police December 6.

Officers attempted to detain both suspects after it was discovered the men were cruising in a stolen vehicle in the 4800 block of Sabre Lane, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Both suspects ran during the traffic stop. One of the suspects made an abysmal attempt at scaling a wall, but when he realized he had no spider powers, he surrendered.

“During their investigation, officers also found the suspects were in possession of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

The vehicle was returned to the owner.

The driver, 23-year-old Hector Manuel Cesena of El Monte, and La Puente man Enso Manuel Naranjo, 40, were both booked on a combination of grand theft auto and drug-related charges. Both men are being held without bail due to Post Release Community Supervision violation holds, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Both men are scheduled to appear in the West Covina courthouse Thursday, December 8.

IRWINDALE – A brazen driver fled a big rig last week after fleeing the scene of a crash and officers discovered both the big rig and trailer were stolen.

The driver fled a collision with another vehicle at Irwindale Avenue and Arrow Highway November 11. The Driver of the vehicle that was struck followed the big rig into Azusa where the suspect escaped on foot, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The big rig was reported stolen to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The trailer, packed with electronics, was freshly stolen from an Irwindale Business.

“Both vehicles were recovered to be released to their owners,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

No one was injured in the hit and run.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspect is urged to call the Irwindale Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-430-2245.

IRWINDALE – An Adelanto man was arrested after allegedly running a red light and officers discovered cocaine and an unregistered ghost gun in the driver’s possession.

Miguel Beltran Aranda, 30, was stopped in the 5200 block of Vincent Avenue October 22.

In addition to the cocaine and loaded 9mm handgun, officers discovered Aranda’s license was expired, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Aranda was booked on suspicion of drug-related offenses and for carrying a loaded handgun in the vehicle. He later posted $35,000 bond and was released, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

IRWINDALE - A LoJack signal helped officers locate a stolen black 1994 Ford Mustang, which was tracked from Irwindale to unincorporated Covina October 4.

El Monte man Enrique Leon, 43, was found behind the wheel of the stolen Ford Mustang in the 16300 block of Bellbrook Street. Officers originally were alerted to the LoJack signal in the area of Arrow Highway and Morada Street, in Irwindale, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The 1994 Ford Mustang was reported stolen out of the Los Angeles county Sheriff’s Department Temple Station area.

“Further inspection revealed the ignition switch on the Mustang had been "punched" and there were no keys to the vehicle.  Mr. Leon was also found to be in possession of suspected narcotics paraphernalia as well,” according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The Ford Mustang was recovered at the scene to be released to the rightful owner, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Leon was released on a citation and had a scheduled appearance at the West Covina Courthouse October 6.

IRWINDALE – One person was arrested after a business check at an auto dismantling location revealed seven stolen vehicles being taken apart.

The owner of All California Auto Wrecking, 867 Alpha St., was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of auto theft charges. The seven stolen vehicles being dismantled were towed from the business, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Arrested was Maria Sanchez Diaz, 54, of Monrovia. She was booked on suspicion of operating a chop shop. She posted $50,000 bail, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.

The owner also faces potential business license and code enforcement violations after an inspection by City of Irwindale code enforcement staff.

The investigation was jointly conducted by Irwindale Police detectives, patrol officers and investigators from the Los Angeles County Taskforce for Regional Auto-Theft Prevention.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Two men were stopped in the process of cutting a catalytic converter from a van parked at a business complex April 24, the Irwindale Police Department said.

Jeffrey Michael Divers, 44, and Charles Todd Lucas, 45, both from City of Industry, were arrested on suspicion of attempted grand theft, vehicle tampering and possession of burglary tools. An officer on patrol at the closed business complex saw one man standing suspiciously near a van belonging to one of the businesses at 4:30 a.m., according to the Irwindale Police Department.

“As he [the officer] approached the van, a second gentleman suddenly popped up from the underside of the vehicle,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

Officers confiscated a reciprocating saw, a floor jack and other hand and power tools, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Both suspects were booked at the West Covina jail and later released on citations due to LA counties “zero bail” policy, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Los Angeles County Fire Department arson investigators and Irwindale police officers identified a stolen vehicle suspect after a Jeep SUV was found in flames in the San Gabriel River south of Huntington Drive Friday.

Matthew Thomas Dyer, 46, was arrested and booker on suspicion of felony arson. Tips from the community also helped lead to Dyer’s arrest, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

After the Jeep SUV Fire was extinguished Friday morning, officers learned the vehicle was stolen in Azusa September 24, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Dyer was released on a citation due to Los Angeles County’s “zero bail” policy, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The destroyed Jeep was towed away and returned to the owner.