Crime Reports: Details emerge in home invasion robbery

La Cañada Flintridge

Aug. 24

Vandalism, vehicle: 4300 block of La Granada Way. A man reported that sometime between 9:30 p.m. the day before and 7:30 a.m. that day, someone scratched his 1998 Dodge Durango, possibly with a metal object or key.

A deputy observed five deep scratches along the right side of the truck, from the front panel to the rear passenger side door. The man said he believes his neighbor may have committed the act, as they have had issues in the past, but he did not know the person’s name.

Aug. 26

Robbery, home invasion: 1200 block of Flintridge Avenue. More details were released this week in the case of three male suspects who allegedly broke into a home, tied up an adult woman and stole several high-end purses and firearms while the woman’s parents were taking a walk in the neighborhood.

The victim told deputies she’d just finished taking a shower at around 9:25 p.m. when two black males entered the bathroom. One grabbed her phone and placed his gloved hand over her mouth. He ordered her to dress and secured her hands in front of her, asking her to divulge her father’s name. When she wouldn’t, the man made a call to an unknown person.

Upon finding out the family’s surname, the man told the woman her dad owed someone money. He stayed with the victim while the second suspect and another man searched the house. He took her to her dad’s master bedroom closet and secured her feet. When she heard the men leaving the home, she freed herself from her restraints but remained in the closet, using her father’s iPad to message her sister via Facebook for help.

She told deputies the first two men wore long-sleeved shirts and ski masks, but that she could see parts of their skin through gaps in their clothing. The first man was described as thin, about 5 feet 9, with light colored brown eyes and wearing faded gray Nike shoes. The second suspect was described as 6 feet in height with a heavy-set build.

When the woman’s parents returned home, her father reported he and his wife routinely take an evening walk, and that he’d left the garage door open that night. He said he’s been in the “jewelry” business for 40 years and owns a store. The family said the suspects had stolen two 12-gauge shotguns, a .357 Colt revolver, in addition to several purses.

According to the father, there are three video cameras in the home that are linked to an app on his phone, and that he would provide footage to the sheriff’s department.

Grand theft, unlocked vehicle: 300 block of Knight Way. A woman told deputies that sometime between 6 p.m. the day before and 8:30 a.m. that day, someone entered her unlocked 2015 BMW 320i while it was parked in her driveway and stole her purse, which contained a laptop computer and a USB flash drive.

The victim said she’d left the items on the driver’s side rear floor board. The point of entry was unknown, since the victim had left all the windows half open and doors unlocked.

Aug. 27

Forgery, checks; petty theft, mail: 800 block of Valley Crest Street. A man ordered checks from California Bank and Trust on July 8 but never received them. When he called the bank, a representative said the checks had been mailed on July 15.

During a visit to his bank branch, the man learned three fraudulent transactions had been made using his stolen checks, all of which had been deposited into a Chase Bank account. He immediately froze his account. The victim told deputies he believed the checks may have been stolen from his mailbox or at some point during their delivery.

Aug. 28

Attempted extortion: 4500 block of Cypress Drive. A woman reported receiving a call at 12:45 p.m. from an unknown male stating he was holding her granddaughter hostage. The suspect said he would kill her granddaughter unless the woman withdrew money from bank account and met him for an exchange.

The victim was able to keep the man on the phone in the presence of a deputy, who called the woman’s granddaughter to see if she was being harmed. She said she was not in any danger and had no idea who would play such a cruel trick on her grandmother. The deputy then took over the phone call from the victim, identifying himself to the suspect. The suspect hung up. His phone number was run but returned no records.

La Crescenta

Aug. 27

Burglary, residence: 2900 block of Hawkridge Road. A woman told deputies her daughter had left the residence at around 8:30 a.m., securing it in the process. When she herself returned home two hours later, she noticed several cabinets in the garage were opened and the area ransacked.

She called the sheriff’s department not knowing if someone was inside the home. A walk-through determined the residence was clear.

The victim said two Apple iPads had been stolen from a desk in the kitchen area. Tableware and flatware had also been taken from the dining room table and a cabinet in the living room. Upstairs, several Rolex watches, rings and high-end purses had been taken from the master bedroom, which had also been ransacked.

Deputies observed a sliding-glass door at the rear of the house had been smashed. That was determined to be the point of entry, while the front door was thought to have been the point of exit.

Neighbors interviewed reported hearing an unidentifiable noise, while one said a neighborhood watch website alerted her to a suspicious gray, four-door Nissan Altima that had been spotted in the vicinity at about that time.

Aug. 29

Petty theft, 3000 block of Community Avenue. A man reported that sometime between 4 p.m. the day before and 4 p.m. that day, someone stole several parts from outside his 2010 Toyota Venza while it was parked on the street outside his residence. A deputy observed that both front wheel-well mud guards and the engine’s lower mud guard were missing.