LOS CERRITOS
Winner of Nineteen LA Press Club Awards from 2012-2021 Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities • April 10, 2026 • Vol. 41, No. 23 • LOSCERRITOSNEWS.NET
Questions Mount as Bellflower Mayor Pro Tem Fails to Provide Key Loan Docs on Out-of-District Property Mayor Pro Tem cites “no comment” after three requests for loan documents that could clarify how the out-of-district property was classified. By Brian Hews
THE LUNAR SURFACE appears in striking, high-resolution detail during the Artemis II mission flyby as Earth sets in the distance. Captured April 6, 2026, just minutes before signal loss, the image reveals the contrast of night and day across Earth, with sharply defined ridges, deep shadows, and rugged terrain stretching across the Moon’s surface. Image Credit: NASA.
Cerritos Residents Warned After Hidden Surveillance Devices Discovered Near Homes Hidden camera found on Summerwind Street used by burglary crews to monitor Cerritos home activity. By Stepheny Gehrig
CERRITOS — Just when you thought security cameras were for homeowners, burglars are now installing their own.
Artesia-Based Hospice Operator Charged in Even more concerning, sim- $9 Million Fraud Scheme
ilar devices have reportedly been spotted mounted on poles in other parts of the city. This isn’t a random prank or neighborhood curiosity. It’s part of a growing pattern across Southern California where organized burglary crews are using hidden cameras to “case” homes before striking. In Arcadia, a homeowner previously discovered a cam-
See PROPERTY, Page 7
Norwalk Pushes Transit Project, Resolves Housing Dispute, Oks Emergency Repairs
By Brian Hews
By Brian Hews NORWALK — Norwalk officials advanced two of the city’s most consequential development efforts this week while approving emergency infrastructure repairs and contracts with unusually high contingencies — underscoring the growing pressure to manage growth, aging systems, and state housing mandates. At the forefront, the City Council authorized an exclusive negotiating agreement for property within the Norwalk Transit Village area near Bloomfield
era camouflaged in a hedge and aimed at nearby homes, prompting police warnings that the device was likely used to track residents’ routines. A similar case in Garden Grove involved a camera hidden in bushes outside a residence. The trend has also surfaced farther north. In San Jose, police reported multiple hidden cameras placed outside homes, some connected to Wi-Fi and portable power
ARTESIA — A healthcare operator who ran a hospice business out of Artesia is now at the center of a massive federal fraud case that allegedly siphoned millions from Medicare. Lolita Beronilla Minerd, 65, of Anaheim, was arrested as part of a sweeping federal investigation targeting hospice fraud across Los Angeles County. Authorities allege Minerd used her company, Topanga Hospice Care Inc., which operated in Artesia from 2020 to 2025, to submit roughly $9.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare, ultimately receiving more than $8.5 million in payments. According to investigators, the scheme relied on recruiting individuals who were not terminally ill and enrolling them in hospice care under false pretenses. In some cases, individuals were allegedly approached in public places and later offered monthly cash payments, along with medical supplies, in exchange for signing up as hospice patients. The operation was part of a broader federal crackdown that resulted in multiple arrests involving healthcare professionals across Southern California, including nurses and other licensed providers accused of exploiting the hospice system for financial gain. Minerd’s Artesia-based operation is one of several businesses identified in the inves-
See CAMERAS, Page 6
See FRAUD, Page 6
HIDDEN CAMERA: Components of a concealed surveillance device found hidden in landscaping, camouflaged with leaves and debris to monitor nearby homes without detection.
In a development that feels more like a spy movie than suburban life, a hidden surveillance camera was recently discovered tucked inside bushes on a quiet residential street in Cerritos—and authorities say it’s not an isolated incident. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Cerritos Station, the device was found on the 12500 block of Summerwind Street, positioned to quietly monitor activity at a nearby home.
BELLFLOWER — In November, Los Cerritos Community News first reported that then Bellflower District 4 Councilman — now Mayor Pro Tem — Victor Sanchez had declared a Somerset Street duplex in District 1 as owner-occupied in recorded public documents. That designation appeared in both a Grant Deed transferring a half interest in the property to San-
chez and his wife and in a Deed of Trust securing a $421,000 loan recorded just days later. Those filings raised immediate legal questions about whether Sanchez’s principal residence was in District 1 rather than District 4, the district he was elected to represent. Under California law, councilmembers must reside in the district they serve, and a change in residence can trigger removal through court action. But the residency issue was only part of the concern. The recorded loan documents required the borrower to occupy the property as a principal residence — a sworn, notarized obligation that lenders treat as a material condition of the
Avenue, a key step toward a future large-scale development tied to regional transit. The agreement grants Hotel2Suites 2 LLC exclusive rights to negotiate with the city, effectively positioning the developer to bring forward a hotel or mixed-use project. While no final proposal has been approved, such agreements typically signal that detailed plans are forthcoming and that the city has narrowed the field to a single development partner. City leaders have long viewed the Transit Village See NORWALK, Page 6
Cerritos Reports Double-Digit Drop in Crime LCCN Staff Report CERRITOS — Crime in Cerritos is trending downward overall in early 2026, but a closer look at the numbers shows a more complicated and concerning picture beneath the surface. While property crimes like burglary and theft are falling significantly, violent crime is moving in the opposite direction, raising new questions about public safety in the city. According to the March 2026 crime statistics, total reported crimes dropped to 636 compared to 769 during the same period last year, a decline of more than 17 percent. The decrease is largely driven by a sharp reduction in proper-
ty-related offenses, which fell by more than 27 percent yearover-year. Burglaries, thefts, and vehicle-related property crimes all showed notable declines, continuing a trend that has helped push Cerritos below its recent historical averages. But the improvement comes with a caveat. Violent crime increased by nearly 28 percent compared to last year, with aggravated assaults leading the surge. Assaults rose from 14 incidents last year to 22 this year, representing a jump of more than 57 percent. While the overall number of violent incidents remains relatively low compared to property crimes, the upward trend is significant and difficult to ignore.
See CRIME, Page 6