Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO – Authorities reportedly recovered a handgun and arrested a pursuit suspect who attempted to escape the California Highway Patrol February 1.
Aaron James Macias, 36, is accused of multiple armed robberies in Montebello, Monterey Park and in Los Angeles. During those crimes a .45-caliber handgun was fired, according to the Montebello Police Department. Several victims helped investigators identify Macias and his vehicle, a white four-door sedan. Officers from the CHP Glendale/Verdugo Hills Station detained Macias February 1 at 3:32 a.m. and he was booked at 5:50 a.m. at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station. He was eventually taken into custody by Montebello officers at 3:55 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records. CHP officers found Macias wearing body armor and recovered an unloaded handgun under the driver seat. He wore an over-sized puffy olive green jacket and Nike shoes: the clothing reportedly worn during a robbery in Los Angeles, according to the Montebello Police Department. Macias is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in lieu of $350,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in Los Angeles Municipal Court February 16. Anyone who may be a victim of Macias is urged to call Montebello Police Detective Colbert at 323-887-1272, or email jcolbert@cityofmontebello.com. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO – A documented gang banger accepted a plea of nine years in state prison recently after being arrested in an assault and robbery case from 2019, the Montebello Police Department announced.
Victor Apodaca, a 29-year-old South Side Montebello gang banger, attacked two people February 23, 2019 in the area of Beach Street and Greenwood Avenue near a 7-Eleven. An altercation led Apodaca to pistol-whip both victims, with one being robbed of a gold chain and wallet. As the victims fled in a vehicle, Apodaca shot at the vehicle, striking the front passenger, according to the Montebello Police Department. Montebello officers responded to Beverly Hospital at 1:50 a.m. to investigate after both victims fled to the facility for treatment. Officers quickly identified Apodaca as a suspect, the Montebello Police Department said. A search warrant was authored and a search of Apodaca’s residence yielded evidence linking him to the crime. After several weeks of investigation, an arrest warrant was authored. “…He had been arrested and convicted for possessing several firearms by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Over a year after the crime, on March 12, 2020, detectives responded to Ironwood State Prison and arrested APODACA for charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon with gang enhancements,” according to the Montebello Police Department in a written statement. The gang enhancements were removed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Montebello Police Department said, but after months of waiting Apodaca was held to answer for his crimes. Apodaca accepted the plea July 15, 2021. A custody release was issued October 27 and Apodaca was released to North Kern State Prison in Delano, according to Los Angeles County and state prison records. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO - A man took cash and cigarettes at gunpoint in a daytime robbery September 27, Montebello Police said. A masked suspect robbed the Chevron gas station, 1628 Washington Blvd., just before 7:30 a.m. He arrived in a black car, entered the gas station, revealed a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded cash, according to the Montebello Police Department. The suspect jumped over the counter, opened the register and took handfuls of cash and several cigarette cartons. He drove away in the 2018-2019 black Chevrolet Cruze he arrived in, Montebello Police said.
The suspect is a Hispanic man in his 2os. He stands 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, weighs 175 to 190 pounds, wore a beard/short facial hair, a black hat, olive green hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black shoes with white soles, a mask, black latex gloves and prescription eyeglasses. Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call Montebello Police Detective C. Adams at 323-887-1256, or at cadams@cityofmontebello.com.
Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor
MONTEBELLO - An armed gunman made off with Marlboro cigarettes and $40 in cash after threatening a donut shop clerk January 27.
The suspect caught clearly on camera robbed Sunshine Donuts, 201 E. Beverly Blvd., around 7 p.m. The suspect handed the clerk a note stating she had 10 seconds to to give him all the money, according to the Montebello Police Department. The suspect revealed the butt of a handgun tucked in a jacket pocket. The clerk gave him the cash and six boxes of cigarettes, the Montebello Police Department said.
The suspect ran towards Poplar Avenue.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic man, 20 to 30 years old, weighs 190 to 200 pounds and sported a mustache and goatee. He wore a black Dodgers hat with a white letter “D” on the front. He was wearing a blue jacket, blue shorts, a black t-shirt and black shoes and socks. It appeared his earlobes are stretched from wearing “plug style” ear rings. Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call Detective Luis Martinez at 323-887-1200 ext. 242 or email him at lmartinez@cityofmontebello.com. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO - Four to five suspects remain at large after smashing their way through display cases full of jewelry in full view of Christmas shoppers.
The robbery unfolded at Shops at Montebello, 2134 Montebello Town Center, around 5:18 p.m. December 23. The suspects used hammers to destroy the glass cases at a jewelry kiosk and fled before officers arrived, according to the Montebello Police Department. The suspects are described as Black males in all dark clothing. The sound of smashing glass frightened shoppers who scattered and mostly evacuated the mall. Some believed a shooting took place. Sheriff’s deputies and Montebello Police kept the mall closed for the remainder of Monday while investigating the robbery. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO - Police announced recently the arrest of a man and woman involved in a armed robbery that left a clerk with significant injuries. Surveillance footage taken of the suspect vehicle the day prior to the robbery and shooting helped Sheriff’s deputies identify suspect Kimberly Ramirez. Jesus Mendez was later identified and arrested, the Montebello Police Department said. Ramirez, 27, was arrested June 6 and is being held in lieu of $3.1 million bail. Mendez, 24, was arrested September 25 and held in lieu of $1.58 million, according to Los Angeles County booking records. The robbery unfolded January 18 at Garfield Liquor, 2433 W. Whittier Blvd., when two masked suspects entered and stole a cash register. An employee struggled with at least one suspect. The employee was shot by one suspect and sustained significant injuries, but survived. Both suspects escaped, Montebello Police said. The suspects conducted surveillance on the convenience store a day before the robbery. Images from the video were shared with countless law enforcement agencies in SoCal, leading to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies to detain Ramirez for Montebello officers.
When deputies detained Ramirez, she was driving the same suspect vehicle, Montebello Police said. “[Ramirez] admitted her role to multiple armed robberies that occurred in Montebello, Bell, East Los Angeles and South Los Angeles,” Montebello Police said. Further investigation conducted with the help of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division led to Mendez’s arrest, Montebello Police said. Mendez, an East Los Angeles gang member, is believed to be present at multiple other robberies. During a search warrant at Mendez’s home, a firearm was recovered, Montebello Police said. Ramirez and Mendez are scheduled for an appearance in Los Angeles Municipal Court October 31.
Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor
MONTEBELLO - Police released surveillance video of three suspects sought in the robbery of Jack Daniels and the attack of a store manager who confronted them.
The robbery occurred March 9 at Walgreens, 1501 W. Whittier Blvd., just before 5:30 p.m. The suspects, who appear to be in their early 20s, took two bottles of Jack Daniels, according to the Montebello Police Department.
The suspects ran towards the front exit with the manager in tow. The manager stopped by the doorway as the suspects ran past him. One of the suspects proceeded to hit the manager in the face with one of the liquor bottles. Another suspect hit him with a fist, Montebello Police said.
All three suspects fled through the alley south of Walgreens. Anyone with information on the suspects is urged to call Montebello Police Detective Antista at 323-887-1200, ext. 249. Refer to case number 19-1523. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO - Detectives are searching for a man who forcefully took a bus rider's backpack aboard a Montebello bus in January. The suspect clad in a brown hat and jacket was caught on the bus’ security camera as the crime unfolded January 20 at 5:50 p.m. The suspect and victim struggled over the backpack until the victim let go, Montebello Police said. The bus was northbound Garfield Avenue near Whittier Boulevard.
The driver attempted to keep the suspect in the bus by locking the doors, but the suspect knocked out an emergency exit window and escape. Anyone who recognizes the suspect is urged to call the Montebello Police Department at 323-887-1313, or speak directly with Montebello Police Detective Adams at 323-887-1256. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO - An employee is in unknown condition after being shot in a robbery Friday night. The robbery occurred at Garfield Liquor, 2433 W. Whittier Blvd., around 10:33 p.m. January 18, according to Sgt. Rodriguez of the Montebello Police Department. There was apparently a struggle over the cash register and the clerk was shot, according to Lt. William Molinari of the Montebello Police Department. Two suspects are still outstanding. Their descriptions were not available, according to Sgt. Rodriguez of the Montebello Police Department.
Initially, according to Montebello Police radio traffic, the suspects were described as a man and woman. Cash was taken from the register. No other information is available. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEBELLO – All four men accused of brandishing weapons and stealing a vehicle from a business November 4 are in custody after the last two suspects were nabbed recently. Fernando Beltran and Rafael Solorzano both join fellow suspects Raymond Doctorczyk and James Gutierrez in being charged with attempted carjacking. Beltran was additionally charged with making criminal threats, according to the Montebello Police Department. While arrest records with Los Angeles County are unavailable for Solorzano and Doctorczyk, Gutierrez was jailed December 18, Beltran on January 1.
The incident occurred at a business in the 400 block of West Olympic Boulevard. An unspecified argument escalated between employees and Fernando Beltran who eventually struck one employee in the face, Montebello Police said.
Beltran threatened that he would return. He did so – flanked by Doctorczyk, Gutierrez and Solorzano. The suspects arrived in a stolen truck and brandished shotguns and handguns, Montebello Police said. “The suspects threatened the people at the business and then left with a vehicle from the property,” Montebello police said. A case was filed with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Thursday, December 20. All four men were charged with attempted robbery and criminal threats. The suspects are documented gang members. Gutierrez and Solorzano are part of the Quiet Village criminal street gang. Beltran is from Huntington Park Locos. Doktorczyk is from South Side Montebello. West Covina Police and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office AB109 Team assisted with the apprehensions. |
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