Latest news with #Northgate
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Woman pushing pram ‘sexually assaulted' on street in broad daylight as man, 37, arrested
A MAN has been arrested after a woman pushing a pram was allegedly sexually assaulted in the middle of the day. Cops were called to the scene in Northgate, Bridgewater, at around 11.40am on Sunday, July 6. 2 2 The man allegedly tried to engage in an unwanted conversation with the unnamed woman, who tried to cross the road after he asked her to go with him. She later became distressed when he started following her. The woman reportedly sought help from a couple at 11.40am and the man was arrested shortly after at 11.55am. Now, police are appealing for more information about the incident and are particularly eager to hear from the couple who were approached by the woman. Sergeant Nicola Brown said: 'We remain in close contact with the victim, ensuring she receives all necessary support. Our investigation continues with further CCTV enquiries in the area. 'At this time, we are not aware of any similar incidents, and reassurance patrols were promptly carried out following the report. 'We are aware there were a number of people in the area at the time of the incident and would ask anybody who witnessed the incident or has any relevant information which could assist our enquiries to come forward.' Police have described the man as a white male who wore a black T-shirt with reflective strips, black tracksuit bottoms and white trainers.
Los Angeles Times
17-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
How Mexican supermarket chains, food merchants are standing up for immigrants
Evelin Gomez works at the juice bar inside a Vallarta Supermarket in Carson, a place where Mexican culture functions as the business's beating heart. In the last week, Gomez said, her customers and co-workers have been rattled by ICE immigration raids, while life at the same time continues inside: shoppers browsing dried chiles and pushing shopping carts filled with freshly made tortillas and carne asada. 'I'm very glad that I'm able to interact with people that are really going through things that are really tough right now,' said Gomez, while serving aguas frescas to customers. 'I've even had customers come in and tell me, 'The American dream doesn't exist anymore.' ' Vallarta, Northgate Gonzalez Markets and others are among prominent immigrant success stories in the food industry of Southern California. Owned and operated by immigrant families, the chains are among the largest Mexican supermarket brands in the country and also stock key ingredients for other Latin American cuisines. Over the last week and a half, the stores, alongside many local restaurants, have spoken up for their neighbors amid ICE raids and protests, and they have also found new ways to support customers looking for a safe way to get their groceries. 'We believe everyone deserves to feel safe, welcomed and valued,' read an Instagram post from Vallarta Supermarkets on Thursday. 'Our doors remain open to all and we remain committed to fostering a warm, respectful space where people can come together — regardless of background or circumstance.' In an Instagram post, Northgate said reports of raids at its stores were unsubstantiated. 'We are also working closely with trusted community organizations to understand how we can best offer support. Rest assured, we will help in any way we can,' the post said. The first Northgate Market was opened in Anaheim by Don Miguel González Jiménez, a Mexican immigrant, in 1980. Five years later, Mexican immigrant Enrique Gonzalez opened Carnicería Vallarta in Van Nuys, the first iteration of Vallarta Supermarkets. Today, both chains are still owned by their founding families, including more than 45 family members representing the second and third generations working at Northgate. Like many local stores and restaurants, some Vallarta locations are reporting slower business as more customers are choosing to stay at home while ICE raids spread across the county. 'The way we meet our community's needs is by staying open — food is essential, and oftentimes it brings happiness, joy,' said Alexandra Bolanos, a third-generation owner and member of the Gonzalez family and Northgate's director of brand marketing. Unlike many businesses across L.A., who have been forced to limit operating hours to comply with the downtown curfew or are closing early for the safety of their employees and customers, Northgate and Vallarta are operating at full hours across their locations, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., in an effort to provide customers with a sense of normalcy amid a climate of uncertainty and fear, the companies said. 'If you get a late-night craving, you want some tacos at 9:30 p.m., our doors are open,' said Lizette Gomez, Vallarta's director of marketing. Vallarta supermarkets are also offering free or discounted food delivery on UberEats, Instacart and DoorDash, while Northgate Markets is waiving its curbside delivery fee and plans to match $50,000 worth of customer donations to fundraise for local education and faith-based organizations. These supermarket chains are just some of the dozens, possibly hundreds, of L.A.- and Southern California-based food businesses that have used social media to express support for the area's immigrant communities in the last week and a half — voicing many of the same sentiments shared by anti-ICE protesters. 'We will never let the evil will of a sad, malignant despot dictate how we treat one another,' said the Greyhound Bar & Grill in Highland Park. 'The immigrant experience in this country is too often met with hostility rather than gratitude,' said Moo's Craft Barbecue in Lincoln Heights. Christy Vega, owner of celebrity-favorite Mexican restaurant Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks, has been an outspoken critic of ICE since the recent raids began and posted on social media showing herself attending a 'No Kings' protest on Saturday. 'I protested in honor of my Mexican immigrant father, Rafael Evaristo Vega, and the very people Casa Vega was built on since 1956,' Vega wrote on Instagram on Sunday. 'I will always remember my roots and ALWAYS fight for the voiceless immigrant community.' Other prominent local food industry leaders, like Valerie Gordon, chef and owner of Valerie Confections in Glendale, have used their platforms to help fellow business owners understand their rights during an ICE encounter. Gordon encouraged others to 'label private areas of your business,' train staff 'not to speak with ICE' and give Red Cards to 'the most vulnerable members of your staff' in an Instagram post Friday. Many food businesses are also organizing fundraising events, donation systems and other tactics to support immigrant neighbors, customers and even fellow businesses. Santa Ana's Alta Baja Market has begun selling the fruit cups of Mr. Diablito, a longtime, city-approved fruit vendor that has stopped serving following the wave of recent raids and protests. Petitgrain Boulangerie in Santa Monica will give free drip coffee to customers who show that 'they donate to the ACLU or any other legal rights organizations,' said co-founder Clémence de Lutz in a Friday Instagram Reel. Michelada mix brand held a 'No Ice' event of live music and food on Friday night, with all proceeds going to the Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Mexican restaurant Cha Cha Chá in the Arts District recently debuted a 'pay what you can' policy for its full food menu. 'We're really afraid of what's happening, and just being able to at least give [customers] a smile,' Gomez said back at the Vallarta in Carson. 'As long as we're there to at least give them some sort of hope — that it's really dark right now, but it'll hopefully be good at the end.'
CTV News
15-06-2025
- CTV News
Man arrested in $6,500 theft, merchandise recovered
A man has been arrested after a theft worth more than $6,500 in Sarnia. On Saturday around 4:30 p.m., police were called to the incident at a Northgate store in the 500 block of Exmouth Street. Police were told the suspect was wearing a facemask and had stolen gift cards and medical supplies before driving away northbound on Colborne Road. The vehicle was quickly found and stopped on Indian Road. The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, was arrested. A seizure resulted in a big quantity of razor blades, gift cards, gum, and other items. Police said electronic devices with the purpose of bypassing store security systems were also found. As the investigation continued, police learn the suspect was on release from similar crimes in Halton and Toronto. The release said the man was prohibited from going to specific retail stores and that was violated in the Sarnia incident. It was also discovered that a similar theft took place earlier in the day in Brights Grove, but it wasn't reported to police. A 41-year-old Richmond Hill man is facing charges for theft over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, disguise with intent, and two counts of failure to comply with a release order. 'We are increasingly seeing organized retail theft targeting our local businesses,' said Chief Derek Davis of the Sarnia Police Service. 'These individuals often target specific items that are in turn re-sold through unscrupulous businesses or on the street. Immediate reporting, coupled with a quick and coordinated response by SPS patrol officers resulted in an arrest and the recovery of the stolen property.'
The Sun
15-06-2025
- The Sun
Mystery deepens over body found in car outside Gatwick – as ‘friends' arrive asking questions after cops leave scene
THE mystery surrounding a body found in an abandoned car near Gatwick Airport has deepened. The unidentified remains were discovered earlier this month inside a BMW which had been left on an industrial estate in Northgate, Crawley, allegedly since before Christmas. 10 10 The Sun understands a group of people claiming to be the dead man's friends arrived after cops had left the scene last weekend, asking local traders for information. Burger van worker Ibrahim Italil Cete told us he alerted the authorities multiple times before the grim find on the secluded spot in Whittle Way on June 6. His Full Monty van stands just metres away from where the car was left. Ibrahim explained last Saturday (June 7) people claiming to be the man's friends approached him to ask some questions. While the body is yet to be identified, they suspected it could be their friend. According to these people, the man hadn't been in touch with his family since September last year. Ibrahim said: 'Apparently he had mental health issues and would go off-grid quite often.' They also allegedly told him that the man's uncle was travelling back from Norway to try and identify him. Ibrahim, as well as his colleagues and customers, first noticed the mysterious vehicle in October last year. He claimed: 'We would see him drive off at 9am every morning, and then come back again every evening.' Hilarious moment bumbling cops struggle to break down door as mocking neighbours shout 'go on… knock it!' But from December last year, the driver seemed to stay put. Ibrahim said: 'I reported the car to the police as abandoned on April 30th.' He also spoke to motorway officers in an attempt to draw more attention to the vehicle. He said: 'I told them the car had been parked there for ages and looked suspicious. But nothing came of it.' It wasn't until a week last Friday when a recovery driver came to collect the car and spotted a dead body in the backseat, that police were called to the scene. Officers arrived soon after at around 10.30am. Ibrahim claimed: 'The person who found him came here first and told us to call the police. He was shaking. 'He said 'man, there is a dead body in there.'' 10 Ibrahim explained that the man was able to see the body because the right rear window had been smashed in - though it's unclear whether this was done by the recovery driver. He added: 'I would often try and check on him but could never see anything because of the tinted windows. 'No one could see the body because of the windows. 'The man had also put a blanket between the two front seats so you couldn't see through the front windscreen.' This could help to explain why the council failed to spot the body just weeks before when they put a parking notice on the windscreen. Crawley Borough Council put a warning notice on the vehicle on May 19. This noted that the car was "untaxed" and informed the owner it would be towed unless removed within seven days. However, going by the Government's online vehicle tax checker, it is taxed until January 2026 and its MOT is valid until November 25 this year. Ibrahim said: 'Every day customers would bring it up and say 'that BMW has been there for a long time'.' He explained that there were a handful of occasions last year where he would see the man, describing him as a man in his mid-30s and of Indian/Asian descent. When asked if he looked in a bad way, Ibrahim told The Sun: 'No, not at all, he just looked like a BMW driver.' Local resident Tia Green, 25, lives in an estate two minutes away from Whittle Way and was there when the body was uncovered. She explained that prior to the discovery people were curious but didn't think much of it, as the road is a popular spot for holiday goers to leave their cars to avoid paying Gatwick parking prices. But she added: 'No one could believe it. The smell was really bad, it was horrendous. 'I'd say he was there for seven months. There was so much dust on the car, even on the tyres. It had been there so long.' Other local residents were equally as in shock. Resident Alex Walker exclaimed: 'I noticed the car had been there for a while. The news was a big shock.' While Sam Barrett, a worker at a nearby bike shop said: 'All I know is the car was there for longer than I have worked here.' Sussex police said last Saturday that the death is not currently being treated as suspicious, with a report to be prepared by the coroner. A force spokesman said: 'Police were called to Whittle Way in Northgate, Crawly, at around 10.30am on Friday, 6 June, to reports of a body found in a vehicle. 'Enquiries are ongoing to identify the individual and establish the full circumstances of the situation.' The Sun has contacted police and the council for comment. 10 10 10 10
Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Telegraph
Body found in car near Gatwick Airport
A body has been found in a parked car at an industrial estate near Gatwick Airport. Police were called to Whittle Way in Northgate, Crawley, at 10.30am on Friday following reports that the body had been discovered. The vehicle, a white BMW, was covered in dust and appeared to be abandoned, with speculation the corpse could have been there for weeks, or even months. Council workers had put a warning notice on the car, which they believed to have been abandoned. The notice, dated May 19, warned the owner of the car of their intention to tow it away. Despite giving the owner seven days, the car was still in place at Northgate when the body was found. The white BMW had been mentioned on local Crawley Facebook posts in recent weeks, but people were unaware there was a dead body inside. 'If this is your car, my advice is to get it removed before the removal truck does,' a post said. 'It seems such a strange [situation] , the car looks in great condition … I just hope the owner is ok.' Forensic officers were seen examining the car, which was parked at a postal depot a few miles from Gatwick Airport. Sussex Police said they were yet to identify the body, that the death was 'not currently being treated as suspicious' and that a report is being prepared for the coroner. 'Enquiries are ongoing to identify the individual and establish the full circumstances of the situation,' the police said.
