By Daily Press staff
POLICE HDQRTS. — Maybe he just ran out of toilet paper.
Miguel Martinez, 37, of Los Angeles was arrested Thursday for stealing more than 800 copies of area newspapers, including the Santa Monica Daily Press.
After receiving a tip last week from a worker at another newspaper who noticed copies suspiciously disappearing, Santa Monica detectives set up a surveillance team to catch the paper thief.
At 5:50 a.m., the surveillance team saw Martinez allegedly remove two armloads of the Santa Monica Mirror newspapers from the news rack located in front of the Santa Monica Courthouse. The surveillance team followed Martinez and watched him steal newspapers at six different locations in downtown Santa Monica.
Whether he hates the media, or was looking to capitalize on reselling area newspapers, is unknown. But Martinez is in the Santa Monica Jail and faces petty theft charges, as well as possession of slugs — fake coins used to open vending-type machines. His bail was set at $1,000.
Detectives stopped Martinez at Seventh Street and Montana Avenue. When Martinez was arrested, he was in possession of 400 copies of the Santa Monica Mirror, 213 copies of the Daily News, 160 copies of the Santa Monica Daily Press, 26 copies of the City Beat, 16 copies the UCLA Daily Bruin and 11 copies of La Opinion. Police also found 192 slugs in Martinez’s possession. His late model, black truck was impounded.
Anyone with any additional information regarding this incident or prior incidents is asked to call the SMPD at (310) 458-8491.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 9, 2004. Read the original PDF.