On July 18, at approximately 5:26 a.m., Santa Monica Police Officers responded to a burglary in process at a bike store in the 2900 block of Main Street. The owner of the shop was monitoring the store via security cameras and reported several subjects inside the store. Arriving officers set up a perimeter and contacted one of the subjects, later identified as 19-year-old Sergio Garcia of Los Angeles, to the rear of the location. Garcia was standing behind a sedan, unsuccessfully attempting to close the trunk of the vehicle with two bicycles sticking out. Another subject, 25-year-old Chris Hernandez also of Los Angeles, was apprehended as he fled southbound down the alley west of Main Street.
The suspects used a bolt cutter or other tool to defeat the store’s security gate and then smashed the window with a hammer to gain access to the store. Taken from the store were three electric bikes, two of which were recovered from the car and another found in the alley nearby with the store tags still attached. Also located in the trunk of the vehicle was an electric scooter identified by the store manager as having been stolen earlier in the week in a separate burglary at the same store. Garcia and Hernandez were arrested and transported to the Santa Monica Jail where they were booked for 459 PC – Burglary, 466 PC – Possession of Burglary Tools, and 496(a) PC – Receiving Stolen Property. Anyone with any additional information is encouraged to call 310-458-8451 or the SMPD’s Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427.
Submitted by Sergeant Erika Aklufi