altadenablog

Sheriff's blotter: Oct. 13-21

Lots of residential and vehicle burglaries, including a double hit at 24 Hour Fitness.  Crime blotter by Lt. Duane D. Allen of the Altadena Sheriff Station.

Thurs., Oct. 13 
Between PM hrs. and 4:45 PM, Friday – A grand theft from an unlocked cabinet occurred at Burbank Elementary, 2046 Allen Av. Loss: $2,661.00. 
Between Unknown hrs. – A petty theft occurred in the 300 block of West Harriet Street. Loss: red Sears Craftsman pressure washer. 

Mon., Oct. 17
Between 9:45 PM and 10:22 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2200 block of Grandure Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence by breaking the deadbolt from the door. Loss: black Lenovo 15” laptop, black HP 15” monitor, gray Direct TV receiver. 

Tues., Oct. 18 
Between 10:10 AM and 7:20 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2700 block of Windsor Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence by unknown means. Loss: misc. gold jewelry, coin collection. 
Between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM, Wednesday – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 80 block of West Manor Street. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the driver’s side window. Loss: black Garmin GPS. 

Wed., Oct. 19 
Between 10:10 AM and 2:15 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1600 block of Pepper Drive. Suspect(s) entered the residence via the unlocked dining room window. Loss: none. 
6:00 PM – A petty theft occurred in the 2500 block of Devonshire Lane. Loss: blue Athens trash can. 
Between 9:00 PM and 10:30 PM – A vehicle burglary occurred at 24Hr. Fitness, 2180 Lincoln Ave. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the front passenger window. Loss: beige purse, black wallet. 

Fri., Oct. 21
Between 9:00 PM and 10:30 PM – A vehicle burglary occurred at 24Hr. Fitness, 2180 Lincoln Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the rear passenger window. Loss: nude pink Miu Miu wallet containing personal documents. 
Between 9:30 PM and 10:06 AM, Saturday – A vehicle was reported stolen from the 1900 block of E. Washington Blvd, Pasadena.

 

Neighborhood newsgroups passing information about two suspicious men

by Timothy Rutt

Community safety maven Carolyn Seitz is sharing information from the local newsgroups about a couple of suspicious characters who are knocking on doors around dark.

First, in early October:

 A young man around 19 yrs of age knocked on my door.  I approached, did not open but asked how I could help him?  He said that his mother asked him to go around and meet some of his neighbors.  As I stared at this young man who is too old to be 'doing what his mother told him' really, I suggested he do that sort of thing during the daytime.  He looked around and shrugged his shoulders and said 'What does it matter?'  And I told him "well it matters to me, PAL!"  And with that he walked away leaving my gate open.  I did not open my door to go out and close my gate.  But I did call the Sheriff and gave them a description...this man was about 19 yrs old, about 5'8, caucasian male with blonde hair but dyed blonde hair.  You could see his dark roots!  For what this is all worth!

And another one reported just a few days ago:

Last evening just before dark, this same young man, along with a friend, knocked on my door.  Both were smiling broadly and thrust their hands out to shake mine. One had a spray bottle in hand which contained a small amount of liquid. When I asked what they wanted, the friend began to ask why I refused to shake hands. My antenna went up. The blond young man told me that they were selling the liquid in the spray bottle - which is guaranteed to clean anything.  I was then told that both are being paid to demonstrate the liquid on anything that I wanted cleaned.  When I refused, both began to banter about me "not trusting them."

My husband came to the door when he heard the ruckus. He got the same pitch.  When my husband refused, both men began to insist upon demonstrating the spray in an angry tone.  I then realized that this was the same young man described in the e-mail [above].  I came back to the door and told them both that we'd been warned about them via neighborhood watch. They looked shocked!  My husband told them both to leave or he would call the police. They quickly left, cursing my husband as they departed.  My husband followed them down the driveway as he phoned the sheriff.  My next door neighbor had also been approached by these two last evening for the second time!

Both are Caucasion about 19-22 years or age.  The blond one ...has a tattoo on his neck.  The second man has light brown hair, stands about 5' 9" and has missing front teeth.  Both are very menacing.

 

Crime log: Oct. 9-15

An attempted rape tops this one, along with vehicle burglaries and even a commercial oven stolen.  Blotter supplied by Altadena Det. Lt. Joseph Dempsey:

Sun., Oct. 9 
Between 6:00 PM and 10:00 AM, Monday – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 2000 block of E. Crary Street. Loss: black Dell laptop, black Garmin GPS, white Sony digital camera, misc. currency. 
11:06 PM – An attempted rape, indecent exposure and assault occurred at 1955 N. Lake Av. (Blockbuster parking lot area). Suspect described as a male, African-American, 20 years, 5ft. 8-5 ft. 10, 130-150 lbs., black short hair, brown eyes, black t-shirt, and black basketball type shorts. Investigation is on-going. 

Mon., Oct. 10 
3:31 AM – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1800 block  of Layton St. Loss: silver Apple MacBook, black/silver JVC DVD portable player. 

Wed., Oct. 12
1:05 AM – A commercial burglary occurred at 2164 Fair Oaks Av. (Fair Oaks Carwash). The suspect entered the location by shattering the front glass door. Suspect described as a male, African-American, late teens to early 20’s, 5 ft. 10-6 ft. 10, thin build, light complexion, dark short curly hair, light color long sleeve shirt, dark pants, and a light color backpack. Loss: $45.00. 
Between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM – A grand theft occurred at the Altadena Country Club (2290 Country Club Dr.). Loss: stainless steel Wolf convection oven, value $3,000. 
Between 7:12 AM and 3:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 3100 block of Casitas Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence by prying the front door. Loss: silver coin collection (120), gray/black Toshiba laptop, misc. currency. 
12:17 PM – An attempted residential burglary occurred in the 3600 block of Skylane Dr. The victim stated that she heard the doorbell ring a few times and a short time later heard some rattling noise as she walked towards the door. The victim asked, ‘who is it?’ and the noise ceased. Damage to the front door frame was observed and no entry was made. 

Thurs., Oct. 13
1:11 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1300 block of New York Drive. Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the rear door window. Loss: black Samsung 40” flat screen, black/silver Canon PowerShot SX230 digital camera. 

Fri., Oct. 14
Between 10:00 PM and 11:59 PM – A petty theft occurred in the 2000 block of N. Altadena Drive. Loss: gray Technalon vehicle cover. 

Sat., Oct 15
1:15 PM – A vehicle was reported stolen from the 1600 block of Morada Place. The vehicle was recovered in the City of Pasadena approximately, 60 minutes later.

Deputies investigating possible Sunday night rape attempt on Lake Ave.

Altadena sheriff's detectives are investigating a report of a possible attempted rape Sunday night on Lake Avenue between New York Drive and Sacramento Street.

According to Sheriff Lt. Joseph Dempsey, at about 10:06 PM on Oct. 9, a suspect approached a female in her 20's on the 1900 block of Lake Avenue:

The suspect exposed himself to the victim and then grabbed her.  The suspect attempted to pull the victim toward the bushes.  The victim was able to free herself and punch the suspect.  The suspect ran away from the location.  

The suspect was described as a male African American, 5 ft. 8 ins. to 5 ft. 10 ins.,, 130 to 150 lbs, black hair, brown eyes, in his 20’s.  

Image: Crimereports.com

(Fixed headline -- looked at the wrong calendar!)

Another door-knock burglary Wednesday

by Carolyn Seitz

Sheriff Lt. Joseph Dempsey is reporting that a residential burglary occurred this morning at approximately 11:05 AM, in the 2500 block of North Allen Avenue.

The suspects are described as three male Hispanics believed to have been driving a dark gray sedan.

The suspects knocked on the front door of the residence.  A young adult was in the home at the time but did not acknowledge the knocking by letting the persons at the door know they were inside the residence.  They also did not open the door.

The suspects went into the backyard and broke a window to gain entry into the residence.  The young resident heard the window break and left through the front door and ran away, called their father who was nearby, and the father returned home immediately and called 911.

Lieutenant Dempsey is reminding all of us to respond to people who knock on your door so they know someone is there. 

Criminals do not want to encounter you or anyone inside your residence. 

They will move on to the next house looking for residences with no one home.

There have been no reported instances in which criminals have broken into a home when they knew someone was inside.

If someone knocks on your door or rings your doorbell, please let your presence be known and if the person knocking on your door isn't someone known to you or someone you were expecting, please call the Sheriff's Station at 626 798 1131, or if you suspect that someone is trying to break into your home, call 911 and report what you observed.

Please don't let that knock on your door go unanswered. 

As always, stay safe!

Another attempted burglary on East Harriet Thursday

Another knock-and-break burglary attempt Thursday, according to one of our readers on East Harriet between Fair Oaks and Raymond:

Around 9:30 AM someone knocked on our front door while my daughter was at home -- she thought it was a person selling items or advertisement. To find out a few minutes later that this individual went to our back yard and busted one of our basement windows and also an outside small bathroom window. No items were stolen nor much damaged. Sheriff filed a report. Description on the person: male Hispanic mid-30’s around 5”8” more or less , wearing black t-shirt.

Five arrested, one tased in Raymond/Sacramento disturbance

Two women and three men were arrested and one was shot with a taser during a disturbance at the intersection of East Sacramento St. and Raymond Lane Monday night.

According to Altadena Sheriff Lt. Roosevelt Johnson, deputies were called to the intersection at 11:14 PM last night on a gang disturbance and loud music call.  According to Johnson, the deputies called for backup after being surrounded by about 50-60 people who were "partying in the street." Scanner reports said that Pasadena police and deputies from the Temple City sheriff's station came in as reinforcements.

A male, Diondri Mills, 19, was shot with a taser in the confrontation and taken to the hospital to remove the taser darts, which Johnson said was standard procedure.  In addition to Mills, two other men, DeShawn Hayes, 18, and Anthony Jackson, 27, were also arrested, as were two women, Briana Triplett, 20, and Dominiqe Zavala, 22.  All were charged with inciting a riot, Johnson said.

Four homes burglarized Monday

by Timothy Rutt

The Altadena Sheriff's Station is asking for increased vigilance following a wave of four burglaries Monday.

According to Det. Lt. Joseph Dempsey at the station, all burglaries involved forced entry during daytime hours. Locations of the burglaries are:

2000 block of  E. Crary Street

1400 block of Coolidge Avenue

1700 block of Roosevelt Avenue

2300 block of Sinaloa Avenue

The sheriff's station is reminding residents to lock doors and windows and set alarms, and look out for your neighbors.

 

The Daily Paco: it was just a matter of time, wasn't it?

by Timothy Rutt

You could say that good reporting comes from experience, instincts, daring ... and it would all be true ... but it also comes from dumb luck.

Which is how we got the the scoop on last night's narcotics raid from Altadena Sheriff Capt. McLean and Sgt. John Stanley -- who just happened to be on patrol and came across us walking the dog! (THAT's hyperlocal for ya!)

Anyway, Sgt. Stanley relays this picture from later in the evening, when a particular famous Alta-doggie wanted to hitch a ride from his base at Ace's Smoke Shop:

Paco was ever vigilant and seemed eager to venture out to keep the streets of Altadena safe.

 

Update on last night's raid: narcotics seized, no arrests

by Timothy Rutt

 Not much more information available on yesterday's story about the raid on the El Sereno/Woodbury location (which is now identified as an apartment building).  Altadena Lt. Joseph Dempsey said that some narcotics were seized, but no one has been arrested at this time.

Multiagency task force raids Altadena house Thursday night

by Timothy Rutt

A multiagency task force of lawmen from the FBI, LA County Sheriffs, and Pasadena Police Dept. swooped down on a Pasadena house Thursday evening and detained several people.

Pictured: deputies on the scene of Thursday night's search.

According to Altadena Sheriff Capt. Steven McLean, the search warrant involved gang-related activity, but not much else was being said about the dramatic raid at 2157 El Sereno Ave., at the corner with Woodbury. 

An eyewitness who was driving east on Woodbury said she saw an "average-looking" man go to the back of a large van parked on Woodbury, roll up the rear door, "and about 20 GI Joes came out."  The armed and armored men were probably FBI, McLean said.

According to McLean and witnesses, the raid included flash-bang grenades meant to surprise and disorient suspects.

According to Altadena watch commander Sgt. Debra Herman, it was a multiagency task force operation involving gang units and entry teams.

McLean said that several people had been detained, but they were still sorting out if any were going to be arrested.

Pictured: several young men were seated in a courtyard at the scene, watched by officers.

Note: we rechecked several maps, and the home does fall within the Altadena side of the border, altho' it also seems to have a Pasadena mailing address.

Truck driver found guilty in fatal 2009 LCF crash

from the Los Angeles County District Attorney and other reports

Marcos Barbosa Costa, 46, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving causing injury in the
fatal April 1, 2009 crash of his trailer truck that killed a 12-year-old girl and her father in La Canada Flintridge.

Angelina Posca and her father, Angel Posca, 58, were both killed in the accident when Costa's brakes failed coming down the Angeles Crest Highway.  He ran a red light at Angeles Crest and Foothill Boulevard, hitting Posca's car and dragging it 150 feet, crashing into six other vehicles and injuring three other people before crashing into a book store and nail salon.

Costa, a Massachusetts resident, was also found guilty of injuring three people in the crash. The jury found him not guilty of two counts of murder, and hung on two charges of causing great bodily injury to two victims and found one allegation of causing great bodily injury not true.

Witnesses testified that Costa ignored warnings from an off-duty firefighter who pulled him over and said smoke was billowing from his brakes.

Costa returns to court on Sept. 8 for sentencing before Pasadena Superior Court Judge Darrell Mavis. Costa faces up to nine years in state prison.

 

Rx or X, Altadena station's got you covered with drug drop-off boxes

Altadena Sheriff Lt. Joseph Dempsey sent out an email that the the Altadena Sheriff's Station has installed two drug drop-off boxes at the station -- one for prescription drugs, and one for illegal drugs (each box is helpfully labeled). 

The boxes are located on the northwest side of the sheriff's station, 780 E. Altadena Drive.  According to a press release, "Residents are now able to drop off any unwanted prescription drugs and any illegal drugs at the Sheriff's Station with no questions asked. We anticipate installing a hypodermic needle drop box in the near future. Please feel free to use these boxes as an alternative to flushing unwanted drugs into the sewer system or placing them in the trash."

 Pictured: the drop-off box for illegal drugs.

Crime blotter, July 22-23: boozers and burglars

From Lt. Joseph Dempsey, Altadena Sheriff's Station.

Fri., July 22

2:40 PM – A petty theft occurred at Ralph’s, 2270 N. Lake Av.  The suspects - #1 female black 20-25 years of age, 5 ft. 3 in. - 5 ft. 5 in., 140 lbs., black hair brown eyes and  #2, female black  30-35 years, similar height and weight, entered the store and stole several bottles of alcohol.  Loss prevention made contact with females and the females returned three bottles.   Loss:  one bottle of alcohol.  Suspects last seen in black Dodge sedan travelling on Mendocino St.

10:23 PM – An arrest occurred at Lincoln Avenue & Woodbury Road.  The suspect was taken into custody after deputies recovered stolen property. 

Sat., July 23

1:15 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 300 block of Laurel Drive.  The victim who was home at the time heard some commotion along the eastside of the property and looked out the window.  The victim observed a male, Caucasian, 30 yrs, 5 ft. 11 ins. -6 ft. 2 ins.,  average build, short hair, holding a flashlight and a male, African-American, 30 yrs, 5 ft. 11 ins. -6 ft. 2 ins., large build, bald, sitting in the driver’s side of a black SUV.  The victim yelled at subjects and the male Caucasian said he was looking for his keys.  At the time, the male, Caucasian, entered the black SUV and left out of view.  It is unknown if the subjects are responsible for the damage to the door latch of the garage.  Loss:  none.

 

Sheriff to hold press conference seeking help on Jackson killing

Sheriff Lee Baca will hold a press conference later today to seek the public's assistance in solving the murder of Brandon Jackson.

Jackson, 18, a student at John Muir High School, was shot and killed Feb. 12 while attending a house party on the 300 block of W. Palm St. in Altadena.  The Board of Supervisors have offered a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the killer.

Also at the conference, to be held at sheriff's headquarters in Monterey Park, will be Homicide Lt. Dave Dolson, Det. Adan Torres, Det. Jeff Leslie and Altadena Sheriff Captain Steve McLean, along with members of the victim’s family.

Your daily dose of Paco

This time, Fox News does a piece on Altadena's canine superhero.

Meet Paco the Robber-Chasing Chihuahua: MyFoxLA.com

 

Crime going down in Altadena, say sheriffs

by Carolyn Seitz
Community safety volunteer

Below are three pages of crime stats from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The first page shows you the overall view of how Altadena compares with all of the Sheriff's Stations in Los Angeles County for 2011 through June 30.  In addition, this page gives you a comparison with the same period of time for 2006 and 2010. Please note that once again, Altadena showed the greatest decrease of any Sheriff's Station in Los Angeles County in Part I crimes, with a reduction year to date of 36.1%.

The second page details just Altadena and its Part I crime statistics up to June 30, 2011, as well as the comparison with 2006 and 2010 for the same period.  There are some things worth noting.  First, reported Rapes have increased by 151.1%.  It is important to note that the alleged rape suspects were a person known to the victim according to Lt. Joseph Dempsey of Altadena Detective Bureau.  There is no serial rapist on the loose in Altadena. 

Also of note on the second page is the reduction by 45.72% of burglaries over the same period last year, and the reduction by 39.76% of Larceny-Theft crimes over the same period last year.

The third page shows that while reported rapes have increased over the same period last year, all other violent crimes have decreased by as much as 21.5% over the same period last year, and all line items in the Property Crimes report have decreased over the same period last year with the greatest reductions noted above for burglaries and larceny-theft.

 

Paco the chihuahua becomes a local hero

Security cam video of the July 7 armed robbery at Ace's Smoke Shop has been made public, and now the hero of the event comes to light: Paco, the feisty chihuahua who wasn't scared by two toughs with a rifle. ABC7's Rudabeh Shahbazi gives us the scoop:

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Now, if somebody could only spread the word to the coyotes that Altadena's dogs are not to be messed with ...

Supervisors offer $10K reward in Brandon Jackson murder case

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supv. Michael D. Antonovich to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for the February shooting death of Brandon Jackson in Altadena.

Jackson, a Muir High School fullback-linebacker, was shot as he was walking home from a party on the 300 block of West Palm St. at about 10:40 PM on Feb. 12.  He died at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena a short time later.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Adan Torres at (323) 890-5500.

Update on armed robbery at Ace's Smoke Shop

Altadena sheriffs are still looking for two suspects in the armed robbery of Ace's Smoke Shop last night on the 2500 block of Lake Ave.

According to Sheriff Lt. Joe Dempsey, witnesses have identified the suspects as two male Latinos. Initial reports said that the robbers were African American. The suspects were wearing masks while robbing the shop, but shed the masks in front of witnesses while making their escape. The suspects were armed with a rifle.

One Altadenablog reader, who witnessed the suspects running out of the shop, said that the suspects dropped the masks they were wearing and a backpack as they ran across Lake Avenue.  The reader identified them as two Latino men in their 20's.

If you have any information, please call the Altadena Sheriff's Staton at 626-798-1131 or anonymously at Crimestoppers:

Phone: 800-222-TIPS (8477)
Text: TIPLA plus your tip to 275637 or CRIMES
Online: go to http://lacrimestoppers.org and click the link to submit a tip.

 

Armed robbery tonight at Ace Smoke Shop

UPDATE: An updated story and a corrected description of the suspects is located here.

Altadena Sheriff Lt. Marjory Jacobs said that there was a call about an armed robbery at Ace Smoke Shop, 2501 N Lake Ave., at 7:44 PM tonight (Thursday). 

Suspects were described as two black male juveniles, who took about $200 in cash. 

There's a containment area set up right now (10 PM), and deputies are actively searching for the suspects.

 

Dog found, coyote attack on Canyon Crest this weekend

Two items from the Canyon Crest neighborhood:

Michiko found an Akita male dog with no name tag, pictured.  If it's yours, please call 818-317-0501.

UPDATE:  The Akita has been moved to Pasadena Humane Society: http://www.petharbor.com/pet.asp?uaid=PSDN.A291176

Reader Tamara Tolkin, who lives on Canyon Crest, said that her dogs were barking at about 10 AM Friday at an intruder: a coyote who hopped over her six foot backyard fence.  The coyote attacked both dogs, but only managed to bite the smaller one before getting away. There's been too much of this going on lately.

Victim's vehicle found in Nevada; husband, dog still missing

In the ongoing story of Renata Klein, whose body was found in the Angeles National Forest June 15, Nevada authorities found her vehicle, but her husband and dog are still missing.

According to a press release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept., a citizen reported a suspicious vehicle parked behind an abandoned building in North Las Vega, Nevada on June 26.  Police discovered the vehicle was the Klein's missing Jeep.  The Los Angeles sheriffs were notified and the vehicle was impounded and is to be towed back to Los Angeles county.

Renata's husband, Dusan Klein, and the family dog, Cindy, are still missing. Anyone with information about them or this incident is encouraged to contact Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau, 323-890-5500. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Sheriff blotter, May 8-15: serial car door rattling

Sun., May 8

Between 4:00 PM and 3:00 PM, Monday – A petty theft of a bicycle occurred in the 300 block of Sacramento Street. Loss: blue Mongoose 12‐speed mountain bike.

Mon., May 9

7:26 PM – A tagging incident was reported in the area of 2600 Glenrose Avenue. Deputies responded to the area and observed three male, Hispanic juveniles in the area of where the crime was reported. The subjects were detained and later identified to be involved in the criminal activity.

Tues., May 10

Between 5:40 PM and 8:00 AM, Wed. – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 3200 block of Arrowhead Courtt. Loss: black/silver Dooney Bourke satchel, blue/white Coach coin purse, and grey wallet containing credit cards, gift cards, personal identifications and a black Garmin GPS.

Thurs., May 12

1:45 AM – A tampering with a vehicle and attempted theft occurred in the 100 block of Las Flores Aveue. A witness observed a male, African‐American, 30 years, tall, thin build, wearing a green long sleeve shirt and blue pants, checking vehicles for unlocked doors. Loss: unable to determine.

Sat., May 14

Between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM – A petty theft of a bicycle occurred in the 2500 block of El Sol Avenue. Loss: green/silver Trek mountain bike.

Sun., May 15

10:05 AM – A petty theft occurred in the 200‐block of E. Calaveras Street. A witness was walking in the area and observed a male, African‐American, 6’0” – 6’3”, 185lbs, wearing a grey sweatshirt and blue pants; checking for unlocked vehicle doors. The witness recognized the suspect from a previous incident involving thefts from unlocked vehicles. At this point, the witness continued to observe the male and saw him entering a vehicle. The male then exited, look at the witness and stated “I’m just looking for a light.” The suspect left the location and was later arrested. The suspect is known to the area and was recently released and paroled to Altadena.

Crime log: thieves picking Apples

Not a good week for Apple products ...

Tues., April 26

Between 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2300 block of N. Navarro Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence by removing the window screen and breaking the window latch. Loss: silver MacBook 13” laptop, silver MacBook Pro 17” laptop, and white iPhone charger.

Between 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 800 block of Alameda Street. Suspect(s) entered the residence by removing the window screen and entering via the open window. Loss: gray Macintosh 17” laptop, white MacBook 12” laptop, and a red Sony Cybershot.

Between 7:30 PM and 8:30 AM, Wed. – A vehicle vandalism and petty theft occurred in the 900 block of E. Poppyfields Drive. Loss: black Thule bike

Between 8:00 PM and 9:30 AM, Wed. – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1000 block of Alta Vista Drive. Loss: Garmin Nuvi GPS and iPhone with blue case.

Friday, April 29

12:45 AM – Three suspects were arrested in the area of Altadena Dr. & Marengo Av. Deputies responded to area after receiving a call regarding a suspicious group. Upon contact with the subjects, deputies recovered a BB gun, ski mask, and misc tools. Suspects were taken into custody after further investigation. The suspects are from the South Gate area.

Sat., April 30

Between 4:00 PM and 10:00 AM, Sun. – A burglary of a storage container occurred in the 900 block of W. Woodbury Road. Loss: black Samsung 55” HD, black Samsung 32” HD, black Sony PlayStation3, and a black Chevy remote control.

Sun., May 1st

Between 9:30 AM and 9:00 AM, Mon. – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 70 block of W. Harriet Street. Loss: woman’s gold ring with garnet stones, woman’s gold watch, tool kit and miscellaneous currency.

Between 10:00 AM and 1:45 PM – A petty theft occurred in the 2000 block of E. Washington Boulevard. Loss: expandable fruit picker with orange basket.

Distraction burglaries on the rise, sheriffs say

The Altadena Sheriff's Station says that there has been a recent rise in "distraction" burglaries -- where a pair of crooks convinces a resident to let them have access to their house (claiming to have a legitimate reason).  Once inside the home, one crook distracts the resident while their partner steals things undetected.

The sheriffs advise that you not allow anyone in your home if you are not sure they are legitimate.  If you have doubts, call the company or utility they claim to represent.

If you see any suspicious behavior, call the Altadena Sheriff's Station at 626-798-1131.  For emergencies call 911.

 

Man shot Tuesday night

A man was shot tonight at about 6:33 PM tonight near the corner of Sacramento and Marengo, according to the Altadena sheriffs station. 

The victim, an adult male, sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital.  No other details, including information about the shooter, are available yet.  Deputies were still working the crime scene as of 9:30 tonight.

 

Burglaries and thefts up, other crimes down in 2010

Altadena in 2010 had an increased number of residential burglaries and thefts from vehicles, but a reduction in the rate of violent crime, according to statistics released by the Sheriff's Station this week.  Gang-related crimes have also been going down for the past two years.

In violent crimes, there were no homicides in 2010 (down from one in 2009, and three in 2008), and rates of rape and robbery remained steady. 

Full report after the jump.

Look out for package thefts this week

Carolyn Seitz writes:

Residents in the President Streets area are reporting the theft of packages delivered by UPS and/or FedEx.

In one instance, a neighbor found a pear in their front yard and thought it odd, so they looked around the yard finding a water soaked cardboard box in the bushes.   The package was addressed to their neighbors, likely stolen, but when the thieves opened the box and discovered that it was pears from Harry and David, they discarded the box.

Another resident in the same block on Pepper Drive reported to their neighbors that merchandise purchased on Amazon and delivered to their home had also been stolen.

Consider having packages delivered to your work address, to a trusted neighbor who is likely to be home during the day or have your packages held by FedEx or UPS at whichever of their stores is closest to you.

Please report these theft incidents and stay vigilant.

'Tis the season of giving, but if you're giving to the thieves, consider other options for delivery of merchandise.

For people who are home during the day, when you see the UPS or FedEx trucks in your area, you may notice vehicles or people on foot not far behind.  Please do not confront anyone, take notes about vehicle descriptions and license numbers if you can see them from a safe distance and descriptions of the people in the vehicles or doing the running from porches back to these vehicles with your neighbor's packages.

Please call the Sheriff's Station to report any suspicious activity or odd or unusual behavior.  The number is 626 798 1131.

Thanks - and stay safe!

Carolyn

Crime log: library burglary and bail scam

Wed., Dec. 8

Between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM – A vehicle burglary occurred in the parking structure of the 24 Hr. Fitness (2180 N. Lincoln Av.).  Suspect(s) shattered the driver’s side window, reached into the vehicle and removed several items.  Loss:  blue vinyl handbag, brown leather wallet containing personal  documents, green Samsung cell phone and $40.00 in cash.

Thurs., Dec. 9

Between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM – Theft by False Pretense: The victim received a phone call from a male stating that he was the victim’s grandson and that he was incarcerated in Mexico City.  The male asked the victim to wire money via Western Union in order to post bail.  The victim asked the male several questions to verify if the male was indeed the grandson.  The male verified information and the victim wired the money requested.  A few hours later, the male called the victim and requested additional money.  The victim grew suspicious and telephoned the grandson.  The grandson advised he was not in Mexico City and was not incarcerated.  Loss:  $3570.00
Between 8:15 AM and 12:05 PM– A residential burglary occurred in the 1000‐block of E. Rubio St. Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the front door skylight.  Loss:  none.  

Sat., Dec. 11

Between 7:30 PM and 7:00 AM, Monday – A commercial burglary occurred at the Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa St.  The suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the glass portion of a door.  Loss:  (2) cash registers containing $30.00 in cash.

Sun, Dec. 12

12:21 AM – A vandalism occurred at All Star Liquor, 2421 Lincoln Av.  The suspect was observed via video surveillance approaching the business and throwing a rock through the window.  Suspect described wearing a black jacket, red shirt, black pants, and white Nike shoes.

Library hit by burglars again Sunday night

Pictured: the library's security camera captures three suspects in Sunday's burglary of the Altadena Library.

The main Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa, was hit by burglars for the second time in ten days Sunday night,  sustaining a broken window and the loss of two new cash registers that were purchased to replace the ones stolen Dec. 2.

According to Steve Marsh, the library's network support specialist, the library's security cameras caught three burglars trying to enter via a fire escape in the back about 7:20 PM Sunday.  Marsh says the burglars froze when a couple with a little girl showed up to look through the pile of donated books, and were scared away by a car coming into the parking lot.  After the car departed, they resumed about 7:43 PM.

A minute later, they broke a narrow window with a baseball bat, then ran off again after the noise to the vicinity of the Altadena Senior Center next door, returning about ten minutes later.

According to the tape, they entered the building about 7:55, and were out with the cash registers five minutes later.

Library staff discovered the burglary about 7:30 this morning.  The smashed cash registers were found in the Senior Center parking lot.

According to Marsh -- who was making a copy of the video recordings for the sheriffs -- there was "virtually nothing" in the cash registers, one of which was for library fees and fines, and the other for Friends of the Library bookstore purchases.

The cash registers were brand new, purchased to replace two that were taken in a burglary the evening of Dec. 2.  In that burglary, a patio window was shattered to allow entry.

Sheriff compiling neighborhood watch/association map

The never-resting Carolyn Seitz tells us that sheriff’s department volunteer and Community Advisory Committee member Jeff Sedlik is working with the Altadena Sheriff Station to create a current and accurate list and map of all of the neighborhood watch groups and neighborhood associations in Altadena.   The new resource will be used to:

(1)    Allow the Sheriff to communicate urgent alerts and information to all groups and associations.

(2)    Support communication and collaboration between neighborhood watch groups.

(3)    Simplify the process of forming new neighborhood watch groups.

(4)    Allow Altadena residents to easily locate and contact their closest neighborhood watch groups.

(5)    Allow the Sheriff to identify areas lacking a neighborhood watch group, and to take action to support and encourage the formation of new groups in those areas.

The Sheriff is aware of 32 groups to-date, all of which are posted on the map-in-progress. Many groups overlap or lie within other groups. Also note that while  for-profit blogs, city-wide blogs or discussion groups are excluded from the map, a non-profit discussion group or blog  serving a particular neighborhood of Altadena may be eligible for inclusion if no neighborhood watch group exists for that neighborhood.

Please reply to altadenalert@gmail.com with the name, location, contact person and contact email for your group. 

Sheriff's station offers holiday safety tips

We received these tips for the holidays from Lt. Joseph Dempsey at the Altadena Sheriff Station:

With the holiday season upon us and the shopping frenzy in full swing, the Altadena Sheriff’s Station would like everyone to take extra precautions while out shopping, and also around your home or business during this festive time of year.  Suspicious activity should always be reported immediately, whether you are at home or away, and people are strongly encouraged to practice the following safety tips that may prevent you from becoming a victim:

Crime log: Dec. 1-5, 2010: strong-arm robbery, burglaries, vandalism

Wed., Dec. 1

Between 8:00 PM & 12:30 PM, Thursday – A vehicle burglary occurred in 2700 block of Glenrose Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle via the front passenger door. Loss: (1) Storm Virtual Gravity orange and yellow bowling ball, (1) Storm black bowling ball, and a black bowling ball bag.

Thurs., Dec. 2

Between 7:00 PM & 7:15 AM, Friday – A commercial burglary occurred at the Altadena Public Library (600 E. Mariposa St.). Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the patio window. Loss: (2) cash registers containing approximately $220.00.

Between 9:00 PM & 8:00 AM, Friday – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 200 block of W. Las Flores Drive. Loss: vehicle registration and insurance cards.

Sat., Dec. 4

3:00 PM – A strong arm robbery occurred in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue. The victim exited a check cashing location and was approached by a female, African‐American, who asked the victim if she was interested in purchasing shoes. The victim declined and left the location riding her bicycle. Upon reaching the corner of Lincoln Avenue. and Alvey Street., a male African‐American ran towards the victim, pulled the purse containing currency and fled southbound on Lincoln Avenue. The victim called 9‐1‐1, provided a thorough description of the male who was apprehended and taken into custody.

Between 8:30 PM & 9:25 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1500 block of Atchison Street. Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the bedroom window. Loss: stainless steel Beretta 9mm loaded firearm and misc. currency.

Sun., Dec. 5

Between 1:00 AM & 7:00 AM – A vehicle vandalism occurred in the 800 block of Archwood Place. Suspect(s) shattered the rear window and poured mustard, flour, and eggs. No further.

Sheriffs offer holiday crime tips

Received this notice from Lt. Joseph Dempsey of the Altadena Sheriff's Station:

During the holiday season we ask that residents of Altadena be even more diligent with their belongings.  A few tips for the holidays:

Require a signature from UPS, FedEx, and the Post Office.  Do not allow packages to be left on your door step.  Historically there is an increase in packages being stolen from residences during the holiday season.

Do not leave valuables in your vehicles or in plain sight (especially newly purchased gifts).

Lock your vehicles (whether it is parked on the street, in a parking lot, or in your driveway.)

Lock and secure your home when you leave.  Close and lock all windows and doors and set the alarm.

If you are going to be out of town, let your neighbors know.  Stop your mail and your newspapers. 

If you see any suspicious persons or behavior please call the Altadena Sheriff’s Station at 626-296-1131.

We wish you a blessed Holiday. 

Crime log: Nov. 16-20, 2010: burglaries from cars and homes

Tues., Nov. 16
Between 8 AM and 8 PM – a residential burglary occurred in the 2200 block of E.Washington Boulevard.The residence displayed no signs of forced entry.  Loss: brown Louis Vuitton purse.

Wed., Nov. 17
Between 9:00 PM and 7:20 AM, Thurs. – a grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 400 block of E. Las Flores Drive  Loss:  gray Garmin GPS, white Apple iPod, gray Canon camera, and  miscellaneous U.S. currency. 
Between 5 PM and 7:30 AM, Thurs. – a petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 600 block of E. Las Flores Drive.  Loss:  U.S. currency approximately, $10.00.   

Thurs., Nov. 18t
Between 11:30 AM and 4:50 PM – a residential burglary occurred in the 2000 block of Lovila Lane.   Suspect(s) entered the location by damaging the window latch.  Loss:  black Sony digital camera and (50) miscellaneous DVD’s.   

Fri., Nov. 19
Between 3 and 3:10 PM – a vehicle burglary occurred in the 1000 block of E. Mariposa Street.   Suspect(s) shattered the front passenger window of a white ’07 Audi.  Loss:  black Juicy Couture purse,  brown BCBG purse, (2) diamonds, and $1,000 U.S. Currency.  
Between 1:30 PM and 6 – a residential burglary occurred in the 2200 block of N. Allen Street.   Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the rear bedroom window.  Loss:  silver and black Pierre  Renoir men and women’s watch, and black and silver Pulsar men’s watch. 
  
Sat., Nov. 20 
Between 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM – a vehicle burglary occurred at the 24 Hr. Fitness (2180 N. Lincoln  Ave.) parking structure.  Suspect(s) shattered the rear driver’s side window of a ’07 Range Rover.  Loss:   black purse, black Marc Jacobs wallet containing U.S. currency and personal documents.

Hikers find human remains above Cobb Estate Sunday; no evidence of foul play

The Los Angeles County Coroner and the sheriff’s homicide investigators are looking into human remains that were found near a trail above the Cobb Estate Sunday.

Altadena Sheriff Det. Lt. Joseph Dempsey said that hikers notified authorities Sunday afternoon that they had found human remains near a trail north of the popular hiking area.  Altadena Search and Rescue team members went to the site last night and determined that the coroner and homicide should be involved.  According to  Dempsey, the remains were to be recovered this morning, and the case is now in the hands of homicide investigators.

Thanks to our readers who alerted us to this story.  One of our readers wrote to say that there were coroner trucks, including a K9 unit, parked near the Las Flores reservoir this morning about 7 AM.   Several of our avid hiker readers said that deputies stopped them from entering the Cobb Estate this morning.

UPDATE: Here's the official press release from the sheriff, which went out about 2 PM:

Sheriff's Homicide Bureau investigators responded to the Mount Lowe Railway Trail, located in the Angeles National Forest, along with Altadena Search and Rescue Team members, to investigate the circumstances surrounding found human remains.

Trail hikers discovered the remains and alerted Alta Dena Sheriff's Station personnel.

No evidence of foul play was detected.

There is no further information available at this time.

Sheriffs arrest Pasadena man in robbery/assault

Omar Lopez, 22 years old, a Pasadena resident, was arrested today in the robbery and assault of a 50-year old Altadena woman at a bus stop Tuesday afternoon..

Altadena detectives served a search warrant on the 1100 block of Bella Vista Avenue, where they arrested Lopez. He has been booked at the Temple Sheriff's Station for robbery on $100,000 bail.

The victim was assaulted and robbed at about 5:20 PM Tuesday at the bus stop on Altadena Drive and Washington Boulevard.  She was approached by a man, described as Hispanic, who attempted to steal her bag.  A struggle ensued, where the suspect kicked the victim several times and threw her to the ground before taking the bag, say the Altadena sheriffs.

Detectives will present the case to the Pasadena district attorney’s office on Monday. 

Crime log: Nov. 8-14, 2010: seven residential burglaries top the list

Mon., Nov. 8
12:50 AM – a commercial burglary occurred at Verizon Wireless (2230 N.Lincoln Ave).  Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the glass door.  Loss:  Blackberry Bold & Curve cell phones.  
 
Tues., Nov. 9
6:50 PM – a vehicle burglary occurred in the 1700 block of Coolidge Avenue.  Suspect(s) shattered the driver’s side window of a white ’96 Ford Econoline.  Loss:  silver & black Garmin Nuvi GPS.
 
Fri., Nov. 12
Between 5:30 AM Fri. & 6:30 AM Sun. – a residential burglary occurred in the 2100 block of Maiden Lane.  Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the rear glass door.  Loss:  silver Dell 13” laptop & misc jewelry.  
Between 8:00 AM & 6:00 PM – a residential burglary occurred in the 2100 block of Maiden Lane.  Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the front door glass pane.  Loss:  black Nikon digital camera & misc jewelry.
Between 7:00 PM & 12:00 AM, Sat. – a residential burglary occurred in the 2100 block of Summit Avenue. Loss: silver & black iPod, silver Canon and black Kodak digital cameras, heart- shaped pendant, & ring.

Sat., Nov. 13
Between 2 AM - 3 AM - theft from an unlocked vehicle occured in the area of Loma Alta Drive and Sunny Oaks Circle.  Loss: blue iPod Nano, green Excelleration wallet, hot pink iPod Nano, and personal documents.
Between 12:30-2:30 PM: a residential burglary occurred in the 2700 block of Callecita Drive.  Suspect(s) entered the location via the unlocked bedroom window.  Loss:  gold angel pendant & gold beaded necklace.
 
Sun., Nov. 14
Between 9:00 AM & 2:00 PM – a residential burglary occurred in the 300 block of E. Palm St.  Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the rear door glass pane.  Loss:  Mac 24” laptop.

Deputies looking for two suspects in Friday's shooting

 

Altadena sheriffs have released more information on Friday afternoon's double shooting during an apparent botched robbery attempt.

According to Det. Lt. Joseph Dempsey of Altadena Sheriff Station, deputies responded to the 2000 block of  Lincoln Ave. following a "shots fired" report at 4:36 PM Friday afternoon.  Deputies discovered one suspect at the scene with a gunshot wound to the neck.

The suspect is a 34-year-old Pomona resident, although from the Pasadena/Altadena area.  According to Dempsey, he is a parolee and active gang member.  He was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital, where is in stable but serious condition. Dempsey said he is not being identified at this time because he has not been arrested.

The victim of the apparent robbery, a 43-year-old Pasadena man with no gang affiliation, suffered a gunshot wound to the elbow.  According to Dempsey, the victim had someone transport him to the hospital, where he was treated and released.

Deputies are actively looking for two other suspects, described as black males.  

As to why one of the suspects was wounded, Dempsey said, "All we know is a struggle ensued between the victim and two suspects, and at some point one suspect was shot."

Any witnesses or anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Det. Nebel at Altadena Sheriff Station, 798-1131.

Two injured in Fri. afternoon shooting at Lincoln/Woodbury neighborhood [UPDATED]

Pictured: traffic is opened on northbound Lincoln Ave.while deputies continue their investigation of Friday night's double shooting. Photo by Bill Westphal.

The Altadena Sheriff's station tells us that, at 10 PM, crime scene detectives are still on the scene at Lincoln near Woodbury, where a shooting was reported about 4:40 PM this afternoon.

According to the watch commander, two persons were injured and transported to the hospital, and two guns were recovered.  No one is in custody, and they're still sorting it out as of now.

UPDATE 11/13 7:30 AM:  Ace community reporter Bill Westphal, who is one of the sheriff's Volunteers on Patrol, contributes the pictures and this report from the field last night:

 

Units were called in from La Canada, La Crescenta, Temple City and from as far away as Santa Clarita to assist with traffic control.  This  allowed some Altadena units to assist with the investigation, get back on patrol and respond to Altadena calls.  The Altadena Station called in several Volunteers On Patrol around 5 pm.  We handled traffic control which relieved the other deputies to return to their cities or assist with the investigation.

 

Lincoln was blocked off between Woodbury on the North to Montana on the South.  After searching the street and sidewalks for clues and evidence, they opened the street up for traffic around 10:45 pm with the exception of the Southbound right hand lane where they continued their investigation on Lincoln and Vermont.  We were released then but the investigation continued into the night.

Traffic was diverted from the Lincoln/Woodbury area by sheriff deputies and Volunteers on Patrol. Photo: Bill Westphal.

Crime log: Nov. 3-7, 2010: burglary, vehicle vandalisms

Wed., Nov. 3

Between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2300 block of Garfield Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the rear window. Loss: None.

Between 11:00 AM and 2:13 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2100 block of Pinecrest Drive. Suspect(s) entered the location by shattering the rear kitchen door window. Loss: None.

Sunday, November 7th

2:30 AM – A vehicle vandalism occurred in the 2200 block of Glenrose Avenue. The suspect was observed shattering the windows of the victim’s vehicle with a baseball bat. Suspect described as a male possibly in a silver/gray Chevrolet Impala or dark blue late model Honda.

3:00 AM – A vehicle vandalism occurred in the 300 block of W. Harriet Street. Suspect(s) scratched and dented the vehicle with a rock. No further.

Two burglaries on Homewood Dr. Monday

Lt. Joseph Dempsey of Altadena Sheriff's Station reports that there were two residential burglaries Monday on the 1900 block of Homewood Dr.  The suspects gained entry in one by throwing a brick thought a side window, taking a television.  The second home was equipped with an alarm and nothing appears to have been taken.

The sheriffs advist: "Please be vigilant.  Pay attention to your surroundings and get to know your neighbors.  With the holidays approaching please take extra caution and pay special attention to your neighborhood.  If you see any suspicious behavior please call the Altadena Sheriff’s Station (626)-798-1131."

The latest: distraction burglaries on the rise

The Arcadia Police Dept. sent out a message over the Nixle system about a wave of "distraction burglaries" in their area that we think is worth passing on:

The Be Aware of Residential Distraction Burglaries! Do not allow persons in your home without verified identification.

The Arcadia Police Department has experienced an increase in reports of residential distraction burglaries in recent weeks.  The suspects in these incidents are commonly referred to by the victims as “Gypsy” type individuals, or "Travelers".  The method of distraction involves the suspects portraying themselves as officials with various government agencies or sub-contractors through government agencies.  Such vocations represented are:  Department of Water & Power employees, city public works, construction employees, and tree trimmers.

These crimes occur during day time hours and focus on elderly victims.  Once the suspect gains the victim’s trust and confidence, the suspect is allowed inside and occupies the victim.  A second suspect then enters the residence and commits the theft.  The victim is unaware their valuables have been stolen and ultimately both suspects leave the residence minutes apart.

The Arcadia Police Department is reminding residents to be aware of these crimes of trickery and encourage them to never allow anyone inside of their homes without positively verifying the individual’s identity and employer.

Sheriffs provide details of five burglaries in two days

Lt. Joe Dempsey of the Altadena Sheriff's station passed on this information about the rash of burglaries this week:

Oct. 18

• Between 9 AM-3 PM: 1300 block Altadena Dr.  Point of entry: rear window.  Loss: television, computer, iPod
• Between 7:25 AM - 5:20 PM: 2400 block Glenrose Ave. Point of entry: rear sliding glass door.  Loss: No loss reported at this time.
• Between 8 AM-2 PM:  2400 block Canyada Ave.  Point of entry: rear door  Loss: iPod, cellular telephone, laptop computer, Nintendo video game player.

Oct. 19

• Between 5:30 PM - 5:51 PM: 2000 block Holliston Ave.  Point of entry: Suspect(s) broke rear window and unlocked rear door. Loss – No loss reported (Alarm activated)
• Between 8:45 AM- 7:15 pm: 1000 block Alta Pine Dr.  Point of entry – rear window.  Loss – Laptop computer, jewelry.

Another burglary, Tues. night

One of our readers says:

There was another break-in on Sonoma Drive just a few hours ago, possibly between 5 and 6pm.  Right across the street from the last break-in.  The alarm went off, so they fled without taking anything.  The resident had just left for a few minutes before it happened.  The officer I spoke with told me that there has been an uptick in break-ins again. Just thought you'd want to know.

Sheriff arrest controversy: looking at both sides

Crown City News' Tami DeVine does a fine job taking on the recent controversies about the arrests of young black men in Altadena. Sheriff Capt. Steven McLean explains law enforcement's position in Part One, and Pasadena Journal publisher and local attorney Joe C. Hopkins gives a rather uninhibited airing of his charges (yes, that means language warning) in Part Two.

Fireworks stash closes down Fair Oaks & Mariposa [UPDATED]

Writing at 11:45 AM, Thanks to several readers who alerted us to this ... the intersection of Fair Oaks and Mariposa was closed down by the sheriffs this morning after deputies responded to calls of fireworks at the location.

According to the watch commander at La Crescenta station, apparently some teens got hold of illegal fireworks, tied them together, and were planning to fire them off at the intersection, but were stopped before it got underway.  Deputies blocked the intersection and arson investigators are on the scene to ensure that the objects are just fireworks.  No evacuations were ordered in the vicinity, which should be back to normal shortly.

UPDATE: This KTLA report says deputies found a home nearby with a large stash of fireworks, and detained two suspects.  Readers reported to us hearing loud explosions in the area around Fair Oaks north of Loma Alta around midnight last night, so there's speculation that it may all be related.

UPDATE: The KTLA link has gone squirrely, but we'll try to get it fixed.

Deputies wake up man sleeping in the wrong house

Altadena sheriff deputies were called out to the 2000 block of Craig Ave. at about 7:15 this morning when a resident found a strange man sleeping at her home.

According to the sheriff's station, the woman called the sheriff's station saying a man had broken into the home and was sleeping there.  Several deputies responded, where they rousted a 21-year-old white Altadena man sleeping in the house.

According to the sheriff's statement report:

The suspect stated he is currently staying with people in a house in Altadena.  Deputies determined the suspect was extremely intoxicated in the early morning hours.  He mistakenly went to the victim’s home, thinking he was at his house.  He went into the residence and went to sleep. 

There were no signs of forced entry into the residence.  The suspect was arrested for Aggravated Trespassing and booked at Crescenta Valley Station.

 

Cars vandalized overnight on Palm St. [UPDATED]

About five cars were vandalized overnight on Palm St. between Lake and Santa Rosa.  Neighbors were already scrubbing off the gray spray paint at about 8:30 this morning.  They told Altadenablog they were also still waiting for a response from the sheriffs, who they say they called at about 6:30 AM.

UPDATE: Moving this up from the comments: reader victak says the tagging was even more extensive:

More cars were vandalized with the same gray paint on Las Flores between Santa Anita and Marengo, and I even saw one on Marathon just west of Marengo. Someone(s) took quite a stroll last evening.

I called the sheriff to report this, but they didn't seem inclined to do anything until the car owners themselves called in.