Santa Monica : Man Held in Parking Meter Thefts

A man was caught robbing a Santa Monica parking meter this week with about 38 pounds of tell-tale evidence--dimes and quarters--in his coat pockets, police said.

He was seen about 4 a.m. Monday by two parking meter attendants who were staking out a parking structure at 1431 2nd St., where many similar thefts had occurred in the last few weeks.

According to the collectors, Robert Johnson and Timothy Bjorklund, the man was wrapping his coat around a meter, opening it and unloading the coins .

Johnson and Bjorklund radioed police, who quickly arrested the suspect, identified as Mark Everett Lewis, 41.

According to police, Lewis’ coat pockets contained about $750 in change, weighing about 38 pounds. Almost $900 more in change was found in the trunk of his car, police said.

Since the meter thefts began several weeks ago, the city has lost an estimated $5,000, police said. The stakeout by Johnson and Bjorklund, who normally work in the daytime, lasted a week.

Police said Lewis had robbed about nine other meters in the area that night, using three keys he apparently made from screwdrivers.

Lewis, who gave police conflicting information about his residence, was charged Monday with grand theft and possession of burglary tools, and taken to Los Angeles County Jail.