Crime Blotter: Vandalism, Burglary, Theft and a Police Pursuit

Crime blotter information provided by the Sierra Madre Police Department.

Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012

At approximately 8 p.m., unknown suspect(s) smashed the rear window of a vehicle parked in a carport in the 100 block of East Highland Avenue. A neighbor reported seeing a black Toyota Echo or similar type vehicle parked in the alleyway just minutes before hearing the window smash.

That same night, unknown suspect(s) entered an unsecured apartment in the 300 block of North Lima Street and selectively rummaged through a desk and backpack. The apartment owner was asleep in an adjacent room and discovered the crime when he woke the next morning. Some of the victim’s belongings were found scattered outside around the lot and it appears the suspect(s) also entered an unsecured garage located on the property. Several items of value were left untouched and at this time only a cell phone and motorcycle helmet are reported missing.

During the same evening, a vehicle was stolen from a carport in the 700 block of west Sierra Madre Boulevard. The victim parked the vehicle at approximately 11 p.m. and discovered it missing at 8:30 a.m. the following morning. The vehicle was locked and all the vehicle keys have been accounted for.

Thursday Dec. 27, 2012

At 11 p.m., a Sierra Madre Police unit was eastbound on the 210 Freeway at Rosemead, and stuck in heavy traffic that was the result of Gold Line construction. The officer’s attention was drawn to a red Honda Civic also stopped in traffic. The officer made a license plate check and learned that the vehicle was a reported stolen from El Monte. The driver maneuvered the Honda over to the No. 2 lane in a manner that suggested he was trying to evade the officer. As the officer was attempting to change lanes, the suspect suddenly cut across the No. 3 and 4 lanes and onto the auxiliary exit only lane for Baldwin Avenue. The suspect used this lane to accelerate away from the officer. In doing this, the suspect nearly collided with several stopped vehicles and used the shoulder of the freeway to go around several vehicles.

The officer initiated a vehicle pursuit of the suspect, while also contacting Arcadia and Sierra Madre police units. The suspect exited the freeway at Baldwin Avenue travelling at an unsafe speed and turned northbound. Additional Sierra Madre police units were waiting at the bottom of the ramp and joined the pursuit. The pursuit traveled north on Baldwin Avenue, west onto Foothill Boulevard and then north again on Baldwin Avenue. The suspect turned left into the Anoakia Housing Complex, abandoned the vehicle and ran into the housing complex after scaling a wall. Aracadia police units cordoned off the area and within minutes the suspect was spotted walking in the area of Foothill Boulevard and Don Pablo. He was taken into custody without incident.

Terrance Draper, 28, was arrested for Grand Theft Auto and booked at Pasadena Jail. Additional charges for possession of Methamphetamine and possession of stolen property was forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for consideration.