Santa Monica police arrested a 58-year-old man in connection with multiple prowling and peeping incidents reported over several months in the city's Beat 4 area.
Calvin Otis Arnold was taken into custody without incident on the evening of Sept. 3 during a crime suppression operation in Palisades Park. Officers from the Santa Monica Police Department's Crime Impact Team observed Arnold matching the description of the suspect they had been seeking.
Arnold was arrested as he entered a parked vehicle. A search of the car yielded clothing items believed to have been worn during several of the reported prowling incidents, according to police.
He was booked into Santa Monica Jail on charges of peeking while loitering and prowling. Arnold remained in police custody as of the time of the police announcement.
Investigators linked Arnold to multiple incidents in which he was reportedly observed looking through windows of an apartment complex. Two victims were targeted on more than one occasion, police said.
Over the past month, officers from the Crime Impact Team and Directed Action Response Team conducted several focused operations to locate the suspect before Wednesday evening's arrest.
Police said there is no indication Arnold attempted to enter any homes or make physical contact with residents during the incidents.
The investigation led by Detective Orta in the Criminal Investigations Division remains ongoing. Anyone with information about these incidents is encouraged to contact Orta at Maricela.Orta@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.
Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the Santa Monica Police Department's non-emergency line at 310-458-8491. The department also offers free home security assessments through the Community Engagement Team at 310-458-8474.
The prowling incidents occurred over several months in Beat 4, though police have not specified the exact locations or provided additional details about the nature of the incidents.
Arnold, born July 12, 1967, faces charges under California Penal Code sections 647(i) for peeking while loitering and 647(h) for prowling.
Edited by SMDP Staff