MB Goonies parents notified
Manhattan Beach Police Department Chief Rachel Johnson gave burglary prevention tips, discussed crime trends and answered residents’ questions about a teenage group known as the Manhattan Beach Goonies at a Town Hall late last month.
About 50 residents attended Johnson’s annual Town Hall at the Joslyn Center on June 27 and were given presentations by MBPD officers in charge of patrol, traffic and animal control. Residents were able to ask questions by submitting them online or in writing at the event.
Many of the questions dealt with e-bike crime and the MB Goonies. Some of the questions included:
“What has the city been doing to help curb the e-bike violence and vandalism?”
“I wonder how much awareness the city has about the middle and high school group known as the ‘Goonies?'”
“I would like to know what the city is doing about the Goonies?”
“What rights do we have to protect ourselves and our property against reckless and dangerous teenagers?”
Johnson said: “I know the Goonies is a really important topic in our community. We are aware of the Goonies.”
The MB Goonies have been linked to videos of teenagers committing crimes, Johnson said. But also noted that those crimes occurred in other cities, not Manhattan Beach.
Johnson also warned residents about assuming things about the Goonies.
“Not every teenager who does something annoying is one of the Goonies,” she said.
During the conversation about the Goonies, Johnson noted “Two weeks ago we made an arrest. following a robbery at Metlox.”
Johnson did not say whether or not the juvenile who was arrested is one of the Goonies. As previously reported, MBPD arrested a juvenile who was part of a group of 10 teenagers who accosted three juveniles at Metlox, punching one of the victims in the face and stealing a necklace and an e-bike battery. That investigation is ongoing, Johnson said.
The MBPD’s work in curbing any crimes committed by the Goonies is ongoing, Johnson said. One of the things that MBPD is doing is contacting the Goonies’ parents.
“And I will tell you ….oftentimes these parents are woefully unaware of what these kids are doing,” Johnson said.
Johnson asked for the community’s help in alerting the parents, if they know them, about their child’s behavior. Johnson noted that strategy is effective.
Johnson shared that when she, herself, was a kid and got into some trouble “a neighbor would tell on me before I could even get home.”
Johnson also asked residents to call the MBPD directly if they see what they think may be a crime, rather than putting the information on the social media app Nextdoor. Putting information on Nextdoor is not the way residents should report a crime, Johnson said. “Please call us,” she said.
Man found dead in Polliwog Park
A 23-year-old man was found dead near the pond in Polliwog Park on Monday, July 1. No foul play is suspected. The name of the man, who was a foreign national, is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is conducting an investigation to determine the man’s cause of death. Anyone with information about the man is asked to call MBPD Detective Sgt. Taylor Klosowski at (310) 802-5123 or MBPD Detective Daniel Delgado at (310) 802-5125.
The MBPD arrested one person suspected of stealing from Target and two others suspected of theft at BevMo during the week of June 20 through June 26.
On June 21, MBPD was called to the Target store by its loss prevention employee, who recognized a suspect from a previous unreported theft earlier in June. The suspect refused to comply with the store detective and left the Target. MBPD officers were able to locate and detain the suspect, who was positively identified by the Target loss prevention employee. The suspect was then arrested and during the booking process, MBPD discovered the suspect had multiple out-of-state warrants and was on probation.
The MBPD is also investigating two residential burglaries, one involving a house under construction.
On June 21, the owner of a home under construction on the 300 block of 1st Street left to go to the store and on his return saw two unknown males exiting his property. MBPD officers found a broken back door and a hammer. The homeowner said nothing appeared to be missing.
On June 25, a homeowner in the 800 block of 17th Street saw a car drive past her house and then back up and park. A few minutes later this homeowner heard some noises and saw two men jump over the fence leaving her backyard to flee. The home was not entered and nothing was missing, but MBPD is investigating.
HBPD partners in e-bike crackdown
Hermosa Beach Police Department conducted a citywide e-bike enforcement detail, in partnership with four South Bay police agencies. They issued 41 citations in eight hours late last month. In addition to the citations, three e-bikes were impounded and four suspects were arrested on gun charges.
On Friday, June 28, HBPD, joined by MBPD, the Redondo Beach Police Department, the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department and the El Segundo Police Department, conducted 62 traffic stops.
At least six electric bicycles and three e-bike batteries were stolen throughout Hermosa Beach during the week of June 16 through June 22. One of the stolen e-bikes was unlocked, the others were secured to poles or otherwise locked and one was in a secured garage.
Meanwhile, suspects on e-bikes, including one wielding a knife, threatened other people on e-bikes on June 20 on the 00 block of Pier Avenue.
On June 21, a suspect known to the victim forcibly took the victim’s keys and drove away in the victim’s car on the 700 block of Pier Avenue.
A woman lost her engagement ring in the ocean off the 00 block of Hermosa Avenue.
HBPD officers found and returned to owners a variety of property including: a hearing aid, a necklace, a cell phone, sunglasses and a Mexican identification card.
Man charged with two felonies in Redondo Elks Club attack
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has charged Lamont Steele with two felony counts of elder abuse, infliction of injury and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury in the May 5 assault of an 81-year-old man at the Elks Club in Redondo Beach.
Steele, 52, is set to be arraigned and enter a plea on July 22 in the Torrance Courthouse.
Redondo Beach saw multiple residential burglaries in mid to late June, as well as a robbery and a burglary targeting fragrances.
On June 18, a suspect entered an open store on 1700 Hawthorne Boulevard and asked an employee to open the fragrance cabinet.
The suspect took fragrances, despite being confronted by the employee.
Two days earlier, On June 16, on the 1500 block of Hawthorne, two suspects broke into a closed store, broke glass display shelves and stole perfume.
There were nine residential burglaries, three of them attempted, and two involving garage break-ins.
One of the incidents involved two suspects who were trying to sell fraudulent Redondo Union High School gift cards on the 1500 block of Goodman Avenue on June 15.
These suspects attempted to break into several homes and vehicles and were arrested. ER
