Media Contact: Sgt. Hauptmann
Office: 818-937-8888
Cell: 818-299-1565
Email: GPDPIO@Glendaleca.gov
Male and Female Arrested for Vehicle Theft and Fraud
On July 5th, 2021, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a Glendale PD patrol officer was driving through the parking lot of a motel on the 1500 block of E Colorado St when they located a parked, unoccupied, stolen vehicle in the lot. Through further investigation, the officer was able to identify the motel room associated with the vehicle and that the room was registered to 34-year-old William Membreno of Bell. A records check of Membreno revealed he had multiple outstanding felony arrest warrants and was actively on formal probation.
Additional officers arrived on scene and Membreno was contacted in his room along with a female, who gave the false name of “Eden Whirlwind” but was later identified during the booking process as 25-year-old Kari Swalley of Los Angeles. Both subjects admitted to having personal items in the stolen vehicle and that they had arrived at the location in it. During a search of the room, officers located methamphetamine, a shaved down screw driver (potentially used to start the stolen vehicle) along with a large quantity of stolen checks and credit cards belonging to other people. A search of the stolen car revealed even more stolen checks and credit cards belonging to other people, along with a stolen laptop whose owner was identified and contacted. The ignition to the stolen vehicle had been punched.
Membreno was arrested and booked for vehicle theft, fraud and his multiple outstanding felony warrants. Swalley was arrested and booked for vehicle theft, fraud and falsely identifying herself to officers during an investigation.
