Crime Log: Snatched while sleeping, students go bananas for missing Apples

Dozing students in the Santa Monica College library have become easy targets for theft after several have been robbed of items that lay only inches away from them.

Thursday, Oct. 24

A case of grand theft occurred in the library at 11:45 a.m. when a silver 16-inch Apple laptop was stolen right from under the nose of a student who was asleep in a cubicle. The victim awoke to find herself without a laptop. Officers questioned other students in the immediate area who said they did not see anything. There are no leads at this time.

A black Google Nexus tablet was stolen in the library at 12:55 p.m. after a male student set his head down to rest and dozed off on the table next to the tablet. No witnesses have come forward.

Grand theft occurred by the gym that same afternoon. A GT Strike bicycle was stolen when the suspect broke the bicycle lock at the rack located in front of the women’s locker room. The suspect was seen by witnesses and the case is currently under investigation, according to Sgt. Jere Romano of the Santa Monica College Police Department.

Just after 9:30 a.m., a male student experienced a rude awakening after a female student assaulted him at the meter parking between John Adams Middle School and SMC, resulting in minor injury to the man’s face. The SMCPD intervened after a student witness reported the incident to police dispatch. The female was arrested.

Monday, Oct. 21

A student still on weekend hours was seen smoking marijuana in Parking Structure 3 on the main campus. The cannabis was confiscated by the SMCPD after being observed and the individual was cited in lieu of arrest.

Later that day, a 13-inch Apple laptop was nabbed in the library. The female student went to the restroom, leaving her belongings behind in a cubicle on the lower level of the west side. The SMCPD has the description of the subject as a male African American wearing a green T-shirt, unknown-colored shorts and green socks. At this point, it is unknown if the suspect is currently registered for classes at SMC. The witness, a male student, watched the suspect walk off with the laptop, but did not speak up, apparently stunned.

Any witnesses with information to any crime are urged to call the SMCPD at (310) 434-4300.