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# Landscaper to thief: Thou shalt not steal
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/landscaper-to-thief-thou-shalt-not-steal/
- Published: 2007-10-12T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T01:06:23.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By By Daily Press Staff*

Crime Watch is a weekly series culled from reports provided by the Santa Monica Police Department. These are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

THURSDAY, OCT. 4, AT 6:45 A.M. Santa Monica police officers responded to the corner of Third Street and Wilshire Boulevard after receiving a report of a robbery at St. Augustine Church, 1227 Fourth St. When officers arrived, they spoke with a man in charge of landscaping at the church, who said he was watering plants when he saw the suspect walk out of one of the buildings holding a bag. The landscaper said he asked the suspect to stop, but the man kept walking, so the landscaper sprayed him with water. That did-n’t work either, so the church employee followed him and detained him until police arrived. Officers searched the suspect’s bag and found toilet paper, napkins, utensils, a T-shirt, chips, juices, chocolate bars and empty plastic bottles, as well as $116 in cash. The items were identified as belonging to the church, police said. The suspect was arrested for burglary and trespassing. He was identified as Willard Davis Thomas, 51, a transient. His bail was set at $20,000.

TUESDAY, OCT. 2, AT 3:10 P.M. Responding to a tip about a resident who was dealing in stolen bicycle parts, detectives went to a residence in the 1400 block of 17th Street to investigate. When detectives arrived, they contacted the man, who turned out to have a $35,000 traffic warrant. Officers ran the serial numbers of a couple of bikes at the residence and they turned out to be stolen, police said. The resident was arrested for possession of stolen property. He was identified as Charles Maximilli Lugo, 36, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $55,000.

TUESDAY, OCT. 2, AT NOON Officers responded to the 700 block of Broadway — Vons — regarding a shoplifting suspect in custody. When officers arrived, they spoke with store employees, who said the suspect walked into the store and took a box of doughnuts and some Propel Fitness Water, before walking out without paying for the items. Once outside, he was confronted by store employees, who detained him until police arrived. The suspect was arrested for petty theft. The items were valued at $7.47\. He was identified as Samuel Gilbert Carpenter, 19, from Arizona. His bail was set at $5,000.

TUESDAY, OCT. 2, AT 3:50 A.M. Police on routine patrol conducted a traffic stop after noticing a driver not wearing his seat belt. When the driver exited the vehicle, he dropped a glass pipe commonly used to smoke rock cocaine. Officers searched a bag in the car and found crack cocaine. The driver was arrested for possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia. He was identified as Cedric Stephen Smith, 46, from Los Angeles. His bail was set at $10,000.

FRIDAY, OCT. 5, AT 3:30 P.M. Officers on routine patrol tried to conduct a traffic stop in the 700 block of Olympic Boulevard after noticing the driver was not wearing his seat belt. The driver refused to pull over and tried to elude the officers. The chase lasted for a few blocks. The driver abandoned the vehicle in the 2600 block of Cloverfield Boulevard and tried to hide in between buildings. Officers blocked off the area and conducted a search, eventually locating the suspect in some bushes near a tire shop. Officers searched the suspect and found a small plastic toy revolver and some mace. Inside the car, officers found another toy gun underneath the driver’s seat, as well as some gift cards belonging to various people. The suspect was arrested for failing to stop, brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner and for suspicion of burglary. He was on felony probation, police said. The suspect was identified as Michael Morrelli, 33\. He refused to give his address. No bail was set since the suspect was on probation, police said.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 12, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101207.pdf?ref=smdp.com)