by Liz Mullen
E-bikers egg on Hermosa police
About a dozen people on e-bikes and e-motorcycles taunted a Hermosa Beach Police Department officer using the N word, and threw an egg at him, leading to a chase by eight other HBPD officers.
HBPD has an on-going investigation into the incident, which occurred Saturday night, March 15, at about 9 p.m. on the 800 block of Hermosa Avenue.
HBPD officers arrested one juvenile, but the suspect’s name and charges were not released because he is a minor.
Some of the suspects involved in the incident are believed to be part of a group that has been harassing HBPD for about a year, including tagging the department on Instagram posts and trying to initiate police chases.
“Unfortunately, we have noticed that recently a lot of these subjects on e-bikes/motorcycles after hours want the police to chase after them because they want to run,” HBPD Officer Keaton Dadigan told Easy Reader. “They will even post and tag us on social media with videos of them fleeing from the police. Many of them will yell out, “Come chase us,” so we are assuming it is in an attempt to get us to try and pull them over,” Dadigan said.
The group — some on electric motorcycles, which are not legal for street use — began circling one officer. Six other HBPD officers and two HBPD supervisors were called in to assist.
“Officers attempted to stop the group but they fled in multiple directions,” Dadigan said. “A motorcycle officer stayed with one of the subjects and was eventually able to get him to stop.”
The crimes the suspects may have committed include reckless driving, driving off-road, unregistered vehicles on the roadway, multiple traffic violations, and obstructing a peace officer, according to Dadigan.
HBPD has been receiving reports of juveniles on e-bikes throwing eggs at residents’ cars in recent months. Dadigan said it was a possibility these are the same juveniles who have been hitting cars with eggs.
Dadigan declined to say whether the suspects are believed to be part of a group of teenagers styling themselves as the Manhattan Beach Goonies or MB Goonies.
“We have identified some of the subjects as being South Bay locals,” Dadigan said. “We are still working to identify all subjects involved.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call HBPD at (310) 318-0360.
Rock assault, bash and grab attempt
Manhattan Beach Police Department detectives are investigating a case of masked juveniles throwing rocks at a person from an SUV, and another case in which an SUV was backed into a business storefront in an apparent burglary attempt.
On March 21 at about 10:45 a.m. two friends were walking on 2nd Street near Sepulveda Boulevard when an SUV sidled up to them. Seven or eight juveniles were in the SUV and they began throwing rocks at one of the two friends. The juveniles were wearing ski masks.
On March 25 at approximately 4 a.m., MBPD received a call about a traffic collision at the Trendy Eyes store on the 200 block of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. When officers arrived they discovered it was not a car accident, but an attempted burglary.
Burglars backed up the SUV into storefront window. The burglars were unsuccessful and fled the scene. MBPD officers searched the area but were unable to locate them. An investigation is ongoing.
MBPD arrested two suspects who were making fraudulent transactions at the Apple Store at the Manhattan Village mall. Officers discovered the two suspects had hoped to get away in a rental car where two accomplices were waiting. When officers located the rental car outside, the accomplices were gone.
Gun suspect steals bike
A man who flashed what appeared to be a handgun robbed a victim of a mountain bike at about 4 p.m. on Friday March 21 at Robinson Street and the Bikeway.
The suspect approached the victim, and lifted his shirt, revealing what appeared to be a handgun tucked in his waistband. The robber got away with the bike, valued at about $150. ER
