The Manhattan Beach Police Department recently released their weekly crime statistics, announcing a total of 49 crime reports taken between September 12 and 18, 2024. Highlighting the community's ongoing challenges with crime, a total of 15 arrests were made, and officers responded to 847 calls for service, as detailed in a document published by the City of Manhattan Beach. Noteworthy among the reports were four auto thefts, scattered thefts across several patrol areas, two residential burglaries, and three vehicle burglaries.
In a notable incident, occurring at the 1400 block of 23rd St., there was an attempted residential burglary, where "the unknown suspect(s) climbed onto the residence’s second story balcony and broke the window to gain entry into the primary bedroom.” The suspect(s) fled when the resident screamed for help, and despite the prompt arrival and area search by officers, they remained at large. Another home in the 1600 block of 3rd Street fell victim to burglary, wherein suspect(s) stole jewelry after prying open a kitchen window, leaving evidence and an open rear door behind them.
The most brazen of thefts involved a vehicle parked by American Martyrs School on the 1700 block of Laurel Avenue. Victims, after chaperoning their child inside the gym off 15th Street, returned to find their car's window shattered and a cardboard box containing a jaw-dropping sum of approximately $1 million stolen. It was later discovered that a device appearing to be a GPS had been attached to the vehicle. This incident undeniably jolts the senses, suggesting both a targeted act and a sophisticated level of criminal orchestration.
Traffic stops also led to significant apprehensions. A particular stop on September 14, at the intersection of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard, resulted in the arrest of a driver who was carrying an unserialized firearm in his vehicle with an expired registration and a suspended license. Their honesty about the concealed weapon under the seat did not save them from arrest, punctuating the complexities of law enforcement encounters.
With a mind towards prevention, the MBPD's crime prevention tips serve as a beacon for residents to safeguard against the tide of these crimes. Recommendations include being vigilant about one's surroundings, relying on instinct when things feel amiss, sticking to well-lit and busy areas, keeping valuables out of sight, carrying minimal cash or cards, moving in groups, and avoiding walking alone at night. It's a roadmap for the citizens of Manhattan Beach to assert some measure of control in a landscape where unpredictability, as the weekly crime stats bespeak, seems the only constant.
