The family notifications have been completed and the victims have been identified as Jesus Arias Villa (22) and Karina Chavez Vargas (23). The investigation revealed that both victims were seated in a vehicle parked on the 300 block of Towt St. across from Closter Park when two subjects approached on foot and shot the victims multiple times. The suspects then fled eastbound on Grandhaven St. in a light-colored sedan.

Yesterday at 4:46 am, an alert person called 911 from Kilbreth Ave to report her catalytic converter had just been stolen and the suspects were at the corner stealing from another car. There was a second caller, and both described three male suspects getting into a gray Honda or Acura. Officers responded, and as soon as the suspects saw officers arriving, they jumped into their car and fled with patrol vehicles in pursuit

Over the last several weeks, the Salinas Police Department’s Violence Suppression Task Force (VSTF) in cooperation with our law enforcement partners from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Correctional Training Facility Soledad, Salinas Valley State Prison, State Parole, Northern California HIDTA and Monterey County DA’s Office have been investigating the sales of a large amount of M30 Fentanyl pills and other narcotic sales in the City of Salinas.  The sales of these dangerous drugs are directly associated with the Norteño criminal street gang. VSTF was able to identify multiple locations associated with the sales of these narcotics and search warrants were authored for those location

Salinas, CA — Due to the rise of cases in Monterey County and to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the customer service counter at the Salinas Police Department will have limited hours of operation effective Thursday, January 20th.

Yesterday at approximately 6:22 PM, officers responded to the area of Nacional Ct. and Clark St.  to a report of an injury traffic collision.  Officers arrived and found the victim and sole occupant of the vehicle deceased of an apparent gunshot wound.

This morning at approximately 9:58 AM, an officer was working traffic enforcement and conducting radar on N. Main Street north of Massa Street. A black Lexus SUV sped past the officer northbound on Main Street in excess of 75 mph. As the officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle, and before he could, the suspect attempted to pass a Dodge Dakota making a left turn onto Sala Road. The suspect vehicle struck the Dodge and veered into and collided with an unoccupied Toyota minivan parked at the side of the road. The suspect was killed by the collision. Two adult occupants of the Dodge Dakota were uninjured.

Salinas Police Department Awarded $155,000 Grant from the Office of Traffic Safety

Salinas Police Department is the recipient of a $100,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) that will prioritize the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

Last Friday at approximately 1:15 PM, officers responded to a bank robbery at 900 S. Main St., Central Coast Credit Union. Two suspects armed with handguns entered the Credit Union wearing masks and sunglasses. One suspect approached two bank tellers pointed a gun at them and demanded money