Main suspect apprehended in theft and beating
By
At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Santa Monica Police Department responded to the 2100 block of Virginia Avenue regarding a robbery investigation. When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke to the victim, who said he was approached by several subjects and one of them began talking to him and asked questions regarding gang affiliations. The victim told the subject that he did not belong to any gang, at which time the first subject told the victim he was going to shoot him. The second subject then grabbed the victim’s arms and pulled them behind his back, and the first subject struck the victim in his mouth with his fist. The victim was struck several times and the first subject took the victim’s wallet, containing $90. The first subject took the money and threw the wallet back at the victim, and then both subjects fled. The SMPD as notified and responding officers located the first subject and detained him at the 2200 block of Virginia Avenue. A field show up was conducted and the victim identified the subject. The second subject was not apprehended. He is described as a black male in his 20s, five feet eight inches tall, with dark eyes and complexion. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt and pants at the time of the incident. Ronnie Neal, 25 of Los Angeles was booked for armed robbery and parole violation and transported to Santa Monica jail. No bail was set.
At 9:54 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12, the SMPD responded to the 1100 block of Pico Boulevard regarding a suspicious vehicle. When officers arrived at the scene, they contacted two subjects in a vehicle and while talking to the first one, offers conducted a pat-down search and found a pipe used to smoke rock cocaine. The second subject was identified and released. Paul Anthony Medina, 54, transient, was arrested and booked for possession of drug paraphernalia and probation violation. Bail was set at $10,000.
At 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12, the SMPD stopped a subject who matched the description of a robbery suspect from a previous incident. During the officers investigation, the subject was searched and two syringe needles were discovered in his possession. It appears the subject was not involved in the earlier robbery. Stanford Louis Jackson, 56, of Santa Monica was booked for possession of a hyperdermic needle. Bail was set for $250.
At 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, the SMPD responded to the 1100 block of 20th Street regarding an assault investigation. When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke to the victim who said he was involved in a verbal altercation with the suspect over a parking matter. After the argument, the suspect went to move his vehicle. As he was backing up, the victim walked into the front end of the vehicle. The suspect then placed the car in drive, moved forward and struck the victim. The suspect then backed up and drove away. The victim’s injury was complaint of pain only. While officers were checking the area, the suspect returned and was detained. A field show up was conducted and suspect was identified and arrested. Eagal Talasazan, 28, of Beverly Hills, was booked for assault with a deadly weapon and transported to Santa Monica jail. Bail was set at $30,000.
At 8:12 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, the SMPD responded to the 100 block of Santa Monica Place mall, Robinsons May, regarding a theft suspect in custody. When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke to the security guard, who said they saw the suspect enter the location and remove a wallet from the display case and left the store failing to pay for the item. Once outside, Tai Chung, 53, transient, was placed under arrest for petty theft, released to police and transported to Santa Monica jail. Bail was set at $1,000.
At 2:27 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 16, the SMPD responded to the 2400 block of 33rd Street regarding suspicious activity. When officers arrived at the scene, they located the suspect in a vehicle and when they contacted him he was found to be intoxicated. Samuel Robin Watson, 51 of Woodland Hills, was placed under arrest for public intoxication and transported to Santa Monica jail. Bail was set at $1,000.
At 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 16, the SMPD responded to the 700 block of Broadway, Vons, regarding a theft investigation. When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke to the employee who said the suspect entered the store and took a bottle of whiskey and placed it inside the front of his pants and left the store failing to pay for it. Once outside the store, he was confronted by the employee and during the confrontation the suspect attempted to get away by using physical force. The employee was not injured and this suspect was taken into custody and the whiskey was recovered, which was valued at $17.99. Graham Acen Cox, 26, transient, was booked for strong arm robbery and probation violation. Bail was set at $50,000.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 20, 2006. Read the original PDF.