Crime Report: La Cañada High snack stand burglarized

Aug. 8

Vandalism over $400: 4300 block of Vista Place. On July 19, a man went by to check on a home he co-owns with his brother, which is being renovated after a foreclosure. He entered through a rear sliding-glass door, not remembering if he or his brother had left it unlocked, and found someone had vandalized the property. Deputies observed damage to walls, mirrors and tile work in multiple rooms, reporting they seemed to have been hit with a blunt object. The owner indicated all the flooring needed to be replaced.

Aug. 14

Vandalism: 800 block of La Porte Drive. A man told deputies he’d moved his 2005 BMW 545i to the rear of his property on July 27 due to tree trimming in the area. When he returned to the vehicle that day, he’d noticed a swirl-shaped crack in the windshield. He then saw a 4-inch river rock just under the hood at the base of the windshield. Deputies determined the rock had likely been lobbed over a fence the man shares with a neighbor. When interviewed, the neighbor acknowledged having such rocks on his property, but said he hadn’t thrown it. His two sons denied throwing it, but the neighbor said he would speak more with them and with the victim.

Burglary, residence: 3900 block of Chevy Chase Drive. A woman said that while she was traveling, someone entered her home and stole cash and a black purse from a desk drawer in an upstairs bedroom closet.

Burglary, other structure: La Cañada High School, 4463 Oak Grove Drive. A man said two days earlier, he’d left the high school at around 6 p.m., securing the doors to the campus’ snack bar. When he returned that day at 4 p.m., he saw the door to the area was opened and had been pried open. Inside, the snack bar was ransacked and several miscellaneous snacks, in addition to a Keurig coffee maker and a black hot dog cooker had been stolen. Two wooden cabinet doors were damaged during the incident.

Aug. 18

Petty theft, unlocked vehicles: 300 block of Santa Inez Way. A man reported that sometime between 8:40 a.m. the day before and 6:30 p.m. that day, someone entered two unlocked vehicles parked under a carport, a 2014 Toyota RAV4 and a 2011 Kia EX (model unspecified), and stole two bags of quarters, two cellphone battery chargers and two Leatherman tool sets from inside the car’s glove compartments.

Petty theft, unlocked vehicle: 300 block of Canon De Paraiso. A woman told deputies sometime between 8 p.m. the day before and 7:20 a.m. that day, someone entered her unlocked 2004 Toyota Sienna while it was parked in her driveway and ransacked it, stealing a new platinum ring and a new 14-karat gold bracelet from the center console.

Petty theft: 475 Foothill Blvd. A woman reported someone stole her wallet and checkbook, containing her driver’s license and numerous health insurance and access cards, out of her purse while she was shopping at Trader Joe’s at around 1:30 p.m. that day. She said while she was in the produce section she had a conversation with a black female approximately 30 years old, about 5 feet 8 and weighing 160 pounds, wearing a dark-colored dress with a gold-print pattern. The woman asked her how to cook Brussels sprouts, which the victim believes may have been a diversionary tactic. She told deputies someone had used her access cards, and that she would provide further account details soon.

Grand theft, unlocked vehicle: 1300 Green Lane. A man reported that sometime between 7 p.m. the day before and 3:45 p.m. that day, someone entered his unlocked 2011 Chevrolet Suburban and stole the vehicle’s third-row seating from inside. The victim did not notice the theft until he drove it somewhere else and entered it after a 15-minute absence. Deputies believe the incident most likely occurred at the man’s residence.

Aug. 19

Forgery, checks: 5100 block of Castle Road. A woman reported receiving a call on Aug. 12 from a bank representative who said someone had been using checks belonging to her and her husband by forging their signatures. Five checks were paid out between Aug. 5 and 10. The victim recalled ordering checks on June 16 but not ever receiving them.

Aug. 22

Burglary, residence: 4400 block of Belair Drive. A man said he’d arrived at an unoccupied residence being worked on that morning at 7 a.m. and noticed a front perimeter chain-link gate had been separated and its clamp removed. As he entered the property, he noticed the front door he’d left locked two days earlier was wide open. He noticed several tools were missing, including a Hitachi air gun, four saws, a leather tool bet, impact gun and a drill, among other items. Nearby plumbing equipment, valued at about $3,000 remained undisturbed. Deputies believed the suspect(s) entered the home through the rear opening left due to construction. The front door was determined to be the point of exit. The victim said the air gun did have a GPS tracking system, but it required a password he didn’t have at the time.

Petty theft: 600 block of Foothill Boulevard. A man was working as a loss prevention officer at an area business at around 2 p.m. when he noticed a white female in her 40s walk to an aisle in the store and begin placing items in her purse. The woman entered and exited the restroom and then left the store without paying. The officer followed her out of the store and recovered four cans of pumpkin, a bottle of antioxidant tea, two sandwiches, a cup of chili and one “party pack.” The suspect said she’d just lost her job and didn’t have any money. She said she made a mistake and hadn’t intended to steal. She then pulled out some cash from her shirt pocket and offered it to the officer, who placed her under citizen’s arrest until deputies arrived.