New year starts in typical fashion with intoxication arrests
Claremont’s last arrest of 2012 and first arrest of 2013 share a common factor: too much alcohol. Police were called to the 1400 block of Mural Drive around 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to deal with reports of a man yelling in the middle of a residential driveway. Though 66-year-old Raymond McNeish claimed the home was his, he was about 13 miles off as his actual home was determined to be located in Azusa. Mr. McNeish was arrested for public intoxication.
A few hours later, 22-year-old Upland resident Steven Asebedo also found himself ringing in the New Year behind bars. Police found Mr. Asebedo in a gutter off Freeman Street and Eagle Grove Avenue around 12:50 a.m., according to Lieutenant Shelly Vander Veen. He began kicking his feet at the officers, but it was no use. His feet were restrained and Mr. Asebedo was arrested for being drunk in public and for resisting officers.
Wednesday, December 28
After arresting a man digging through a trashcan at the Shell Gas station, 1091 W. Foothill Blvd., police were provided with an unexpected yet important lead to the arrest of another man involved in at least 2 residential burglaries. Two homes were burglarized Wednesday afternoon in the 2200 and 2600 block of Bonnie Brae Avenue with no witnesses. One was entered through an unlocked door, the other through a bedroom window, according to Lt. Vander Veen. Jewelry and miscellaneous electronic items such as iPads, iPhones and computers were stolen.
In a seemingly unrelated event half an hour later, a caller advised police that 32-year-old Francisco Chavarria was rummaging through the trash at the Shell Gas Station and an identification card and passport were spotted among the trash bin’s rubbage. After arresting Mr. Chavarria for possession of drug paraphernalia, police returned to the trash bin, where they found the identification documents and several other items determined taken from the burglarized Bonnie Brae Avenue homes. Through surveillance footage, police were able to identify the vehicle associated with the 3 subjects who had originally dumped the property. Eighteen-year-old Juan Flores of Los Angeles was located and admitted to being the driver. The remaining two subjects have yet to be identified.
Saturday, December 29
Employees of Rocky Liquor, 1045 W. Foothill Blvd., received a shock Saturday night when a hooded figure wearing black gloves and a skeleton mask jumped over the counter and made off with a bottle of alcohol around 7:50 p.m. The hooded figure skipped the expensive stuff, instead making off with a $20 bottle of Patron Silver tequila. The skeleton fled in a 1990s silver Toyota Corolla, last seen heading north on Regis.
Sunday, December 30
A man arrested for his second drunk driving offense must have known what was coming—the moment police pulled him over after running a stop sign in the Claremont Village, 49-year-old Michael Milaney of Glendale got out of the car and took off running. Unfortunately for him, police were quicker. He was apprehended in the 300 block of West Bonita Avenue and arrested for driving under the influence with a suspended license and for resisting arrest.
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Several Claremont homes were targeted in a sweep of residential burglaries Sunday evening. The first reported burglary took place between 2 and 7:40 p.m. in the 2400 block of Bonnie Brae Ave., where a previous trio of burglaries took place just days before. The next reportedly took place between 3 and 8 p.m. on Castleton Drive with yet another estimated between 5:45 and 6 p.m. in the 900 block of Peninsula Avenue. The final reported burglary that night took place between 6 and 8:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Nassau Place, according to Lt. Vander Veen. In each case entry was gained by force, through doors and windows. In one case, burglars and smashed a garage door window in order to manually open the garage. Residents have reported more than $4,000 in stolen property including bikes, electronics and a security camera.
Police have no leads in these cases. Any information relating to the crimes or suspicious activity witnessed during these time periods should be reported to the Claremont Police Department at (909) 399-5411.
Monday, December 31
The owners of a home in the 800 block of Occidental Drive were the recipients of a late Christmas gift on New Year’s Eve, awaking to find new seasonal decor in their front yard. The owners are unsure how the property arrived there. Police have been unable to locate vandals involved or the true owners of the decor. Frosty the Snowman and a wreath are waiting to be claimed at the Claremont Police Department, 570 W. Bonita Ave.
Tuesday, January 1
While Claremont’s recent house burglary trend has carried over into 2013, in this case at least the joke ended up being on the burglar. Sometime between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday, January 1, the crook entered a residence in the 800 block of Butte Street and made off with a safe. As the burglar later discovered, the safe was empty.
—Beth Hartnett
