Manhattan Beach Weekly Crime Blotter: Theft, Assault, Robbery

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — There were 15 arrests, 23 traffic collisions, and 1,045 calls for service in the city during the week of Feb. 26-March 4, police logs show.

The top crime categories for the week were theft (12 cases), assault (four cases), and robbery (three cases).

Among the notable calls police responded to were:

• On 3/4/26 at about 9:30 a.m., officers responded to the 1800 block of Manhattan Beach Boulevard (Trader Joe's) for the report of an assault. A First Amendment auditor pepper-sprayed an individual (customer) who attempted to take his camera by force. The customer was on his way inside the business and asked to not be filmed. The customer then shoved the auditor and damaged a piece of his equipment. The auditor then pepper-sprayed the customer in self-defense.

• On 3/2/26, at about noon, an officer was dispatched to a theft call that occurred the day prior on3/1/26 at 10 a.m. at Chase Bank, located at 1727 Artesia Blvd. The victim made a withdrawal and put his ATM card in his wallet, which he then placed in his back pocket. An adult male tapped his shoulder when he exited the bank and said that he dropped a $20 bill. The victim pulled out his wallet and became distracted and the suspect somehow stole his ATM card. The card was then fraudulently used to withdraw roughly $10,000.
• On 2/27/26 at about 1 a.m., officers took a phone report from a victim who said her belonging swere stolen after being dropped off in Manhattan Beach by an acquaintance. The acquaintance parked his vehicle and pushed her out of the passenger seat, then drove off with about 10 bags of personal belongings. The subject has been identified, and detectives are working the case.