SANTA MONICA CRIME WATCH

Bait Bike Catches Thief

Santa Monica police say on 8/16/14 at approximately 3pm officers working in the downtown area were electronically monitoring a "bait bicycle" parked in the 1500 block of Alley 1 when they were alerted that it had been removed from its location. They say using a tracking device the officers were alerted to the bicycles new location every 10 seconds and learned that the bicycle was traveling southbound in the 1700 block of Ocean Front Walk. Authorities say they relayed information to officers working beach patrol who were able to locate the bicycle being ridden by the suspect, Mark Guill through the Venice Skate Park. Officers say they detained Guill and placed him under arrest for possession of stolen property. He was transported to the Santa Monica Jail where he was booked and received a 20,000-dollars bail.

Burglary Reported on Washington

Santa Monica police say on 8/14/14 at approximately 9:30 pm officers working uniformed patrol responded to investigate a burglary at an apartment in the 200 block of Washington Avenue. They say the victim told the officers that she was staying at her friend's apartment while her friend is in the hospital. Lawmen report the woman had left the apartment to go to the hospital and had left the door unlocked at the request of her friend, who was expecting delivery of a package. Authorities say when she returned to the apartment she discovered a bag containing her jewelry, valued at over $24,000 was missing.

Officers say there was nothing else taken from the apartment and the victim had a suspicion that her friend's personal trainer, who had been living at the apartment may have taken her property. Lawmen say the manager of the building was contacted and he was able to check the surveillance video. They say the suspect, later identified as Joseph Buico, the friend's trainer, was seen entering the apartment at the time in question. Authorities say check of local pawn shops revealed that Buico had pawned the victim's jewelry. Buico turned himself in after speaking to investigators on the telephone and was booked at Santa Monica Jail for burglary.