Altadena, California is a beautiful, unincoperated city in Los Angeles County, approximately 14 miles downtown from the Los Angeles Civic Center. With hot and dry summers and warm and windy falls, Altadena has something to do all year round. Local residents, families with kids and tourists alike love stopping in Altadena for its awe-inspiring attractions, especially around Christmas time. Christmas Tree Lane, which stretches from Woodbury Road to Mariposa Street, is the oldest large-scale Christmas lighting venue in the world since 1920, and creates an incredible, annual holiday display. In addition, Altadena is well known for its historic charm. The Mount Lowe Railway was a scenic railway that at one point carried passengers to summer resorts in the San Gabriel Mountains, and is registered as a protected national site. 

As of the 2010 census, Altadena had a population of 42,777, a steady increase from the 2000 census. Cities like Altadena are seeing a lot of similar growth, as many find they can no longer afford pricier housing in nearby L.A. and Orange County. Although this unprecedented growth and sprawl has brought increased jobs and community to the city, this also means an uptick in crime and criminal behavior. Altadena is a relatively safe area to live, but does face its fair share of crime and crime scene cleanup. 

Most recently, a 45-year-old resident of Altadena was shot on February 16, 2020 while he was driving. He was able to drive for a block-and-a-half before exiting the vehicle at his home and collapsing. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots before a car drove off. He was later transported to the hospital, where a gunshot wound to his upper torso was found. The incident is still being investigated, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is actively seeking leads. Fortunately, these types of random shootings are fairly uncommon is Altadena, and total crime rates continue to remain low. But, there is still a need for strong police work and the services of a professional crime scene cleanup company. 

Understanding a Crime Scene

A crime scene usually does not look like what it appears to on T.V. and movies. Broadly, it does refer to any tangible location where a crime or criminal offense has been committed. But this does not mean it is confined to a certain square footage or area. If a crime has been committed in a building or home, it can span several rooms, especially if the victim knew their attacker or attempted to fight them off. A crime scene also refers to a public, outdoor area where a body may be found. Either way, when a crime scene is discovered, it immediately becomes police jurisdiction and is sealed off to the public. This is not only done for sensitivity purposes, especially if it was a particularly brutal crime, but also to ward off external forces, like human and animal interference. If a body has been there for several days or months, it is absolutely crucial to collect every piece of evidence before it becomes undetectable for a coroner. Though this may delay cleaning up a crime scene, it is the first necessary step in getting the case solved thoroughly and accurately. When the crime scene investigation is complete, the sheriff’s office will then turn the area back over to either the homeowner or local government agency.

Crime Scene Cleanup

Understanding a crime committed against a loved one is an extremely traumatic process to undertake, especially if a family member or friend was the one to discover the body.

A crucial step in moving forward is cleaning up the crime scene and allowing the space to return to its orginial state. It is a common misconception that the sheriff or coroner’s office will deploy agents to clean up a crime scene. As it is not usually required by law, this difficult responsibility often gets transferred to residents or family members, which can create further trauma. And with biohazard materials still present, it may be dangerous and overwhelming for an individual to begin cleaning on their own. This should be exclusively reserved for a professional company, registered with the State of California, with the right experience, materials and care to get the job done.

The company will then begin crime scene cleanup by enacting four steps: cleaning, sanitization, deodorization and restoration. The company will bring all necessary personal protective equipment, like gloves and goggles, to eliminate all blood and biological materials, which are a top priority for health and safety concerns. Next, the company will use medical grade sanitization chemicals to eliminate all pathogens that may still be lingering on surface materials. The company will deodorize the crime scene if a body had remained at that location for an extended period of time. To finish, the company will restore the area so it is once again livable, and hopefully, kick start the healing process. Above all, the professional crime scene cleanup company will act with care and sensitivity through an incredibly difficult process. 

Costs Associated With Crime Scene Cleanup

Crime scene cleanup does have certain costs, depending on the extent and nature of the crime. If a crime was particularly brutal and spread out across multiple rooms, higher grade sanitization materials may be required to completely eliminate all pathogens and restore the area. Usually, most companies charge anywhere from $1000 to $2500 one-room crime scene cleanup will ranges from $1000 to $2500, but Eco Bear is committed to providing a thorough crime scene cleanup at a reasonable rate. Eco Bear’s rates are $250 per hour, per technician. There is a charge of $200 for each red biohazard waste bin needed for a particular cleanup.