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Crime Report: Opportunistic thieves pull goods from unlocked vehicles throughout La Cañada Flintridge

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May 21

Grand theft: 1100 block of Fairview Drive. A woman reported that sometime between 9 p.m. on May 20 and 8:30 a.m. on May 21, someone took from the rear floorboards of her unlocked vehicle a plastic bag containing numerous pieces of designer costume jewelry, a pair of Tamara Mellon high heels, a pair of Jimmy Choo high heels and a pair of denim wedge shoes.

May 23

Fraudulent use of access card, identity theft: A man reported that between Jan. 20 and March 22 someone had used his Chase Visa card without his permission to make several purchases from various stores.

Driving without owner’s consent, vehicle burglary: A man working in the yard on the 500 block of Knight Way reported that at about 1:21 p.m. he realized that his Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck, which he’d left parked in front of a residence, was missing.

A deputy who visited the site to take the report was assisted by another patrol unit who found the missing pick-up parked near the intersection of Craig and Commonwealth avenues. The first deputy drove the victim to his truck, where he discovered that a gas-powered leaf blower and a gas-powered hedge trimmer had been stolen.

Following up, the reporting deputy spoke with a neighbor to the Knight Way home, who has a video surveillance camera. Footage from that camera showed a dark-colored SUV park next to the victim’s truck. A passenger from the SUV, described as male, wearing dark clothes and a white hat, climbing into the driver’s side of the truck, after which the person behind the wheel of the SUV drove westbound on Knight Way and out of view.

Petty theft: 600 block of Durwood Drive. A man flagged the sheriff’s deputy who recovered the Tacoma pick-up truck at Craig and Commonwealth to report that at about 2:20 p.m. that day, he discovered that someone had stolen his gas-powered leaf blower from the frontyard of a property he’d been working at, with the theft taking place within a five-minute period while he was in the home’s backyard.

Theft by false pretenses: 200 block of Baptiste Way. A man reported that he received a call from someone purporting to be his grandson, who told him he would shortly receive a call from an attorney. The “attorney” then called and told the victim that the grandson had been in an accident and that the only way to bail him out would be for the grandfather to send money (amount redacted from the report) via Western Union.

The victim went to Bank of America, withdrew cash and completed the Western Union transaction as instructed. He called the “attorney” to say the money was on its way, only to then be told that now the other party in the “accident” was wanting to press charges and more money would be needed to get his grandson out of jail.

The victim replied he had no more money to give and the call abruptly ended. The victim, having doubts, then checked with Western Union and learned the transfer had been completed.

May 24

Petty theft: 4700 block of La Cañada Boulevard. A woman reported that sometime between 10:30 p.m. on May 23 and 9:30 a.m. May 24, someone stole a battery charger and U.S. currency out of her vehicle, which she’d parked and left unlocked overnight.

Grand theft: 4800 block of La Cañada Boulevard. A woman reported that sometime between 6 p.m. May 23 and 7 a.m. May 24, someone entered her unlocked Lexus and stole U.S. currency (amount redacted), three pair of sunglasses, an iPhone charger, a Lexus vehicle manual and the vehicle’s registration.

Burglary: 600 block of Houseman Street. A woman reported that sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 6:50 p.m. that day, someone shattered a glass sliding door in her living room and ransacked the house while she was at work. Taken was a wallet with currency from Hong Kong and China, a Hong Kong identification card, a diamond tennis bracelet, a gold necklace and a diamond heart pendant.

Pet theft: 5400 block of Ocean View Boulevard. A man reported that sometime between 9 a.m and 6:30 p.m. on May 23, someone stole two pairs of Oakley sunglasses from the center console of his unlocked Toyota Highlander.

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