8 Citizens Honored for Helping Police

Eight residents were honored Thursday by the Mid-Valley Community Police Council and Van Nuys police for taking time--and, in some cases, serious risks--to help others in the San Fernando Valley this year.

The 18th annual Citizens’ Recognition Luncheon at the Airtel Plaza Hotel featured a keynote address by LAPD Chief Bernard Parks.

The honorees are:

* George Rodarte and Monty Fisher, who chased down and detained a suspect they saw attack and rob a woman in Van Nuys. Fisher is mayor of Hidden Hills.

* Rick Day, who monitored a man’s activities in Van Nuys and reported them to police. The man was eventually arrested in connection with a residential burglary.

* Julio Santos, who watched a man drag a suspicious-looking cardboard box to the back of an apartment building at 14045 Oxnard St. He later discovered a dead body in the box and notified police, who arrested the man on suspicion of murder.

* Theodore Piegdon, who videotaped three suspects tampering with cars on Vanowen Street. After viewing the videotapes, police arrested three suspects.

* Miguel Gaytan, who informed the management of a Van Nuys furniture store that employees had stolen more than $20,000 worth of furniture in the past year. Detectives used that information to recover stolen merchandise and arrest two suspects.

* Nedal Mazahreh and Juan Martinez, who chased a robbery suspect and turned his car license plate number over to police, who used it to find and arrest the suspect. Police believe the same suspect committed 20 other robberies in the Valley.