Crime report: Parents fall victim to kidnapping scheme; trio found with burglary tools
Oct. 16
Possession of burglary tools; driving without a license: 700 block of Lynnhaven Lane. Deputies responding to a grand theft call at around 9:24 p.m. noticed a black Mercedes Benz with a broken tail light and paper license plates driving suspiciously on Commonwealth Avenue. The driver and passengers moved to conceal themselves when the deputies passed, and a stop was conducted. The driver, 28-year-old Los Angeles resident Depaul Howard, admitted to having no license and was detained. One passenger, 20-year-old Los Angeles resident Anthony Hutchins, was found in possession of a spring-loaded window breaker. Inside the vehicle, deputies found four pairs of black gloves, a police scanner and a ski mask. The paper license plate was found to be covering an actual license plate. Howard said the vehicle belonged to his sister, and he was unaware of the plates being covered. A second passenger, 31-year-old Los Angeles resident Matthew McAffrey, was found to have glass shards in the front pocket of his sweater. Upon arrest, deputies discovered McAffrey had two outstanding warrants for possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine.
Oct. 17
Theft by false pretenses: 1300 block of Sugarloaf Drive. A man reported receiving a call at around 8:30 a.m. the day before, in which he heard a female screaming. He was led to believe the woman was his daughter, and the caller demanded he withdraw money and drop it off at a specified location. The man picked up his wife, who was out on a walk, and drove to a Glendale bank while the alleged kidnapper was still on the phone. They cashed a check and were instructed to drive to Firestone Boulevard off the 605 Freeway, to a place where a white bucket was located. The suspect ordered them to place the money inside the bucket and drive to a nearby shopping center. When the male victim asked to speak to his daughter, a female voice told them they’d need to drive to another bank in Beverly Hills to get more money. On the way there, the female victim asked to stop for gas and a phone charger. While inside the gas station, the woman texted her daughter’s cellphone number and asked if she was safe. The daughter replied that she was safe and at home, at which point the female victim began shouting obscenities at the voice on the phone and later notified the sheriff’s department.
Oct. 19
Burglary, business: 600 block of Foothill Boulevard. A store manager called to report a customer had seen three suspects removing security tags and taking several expensive purses on Oct. 16. Surveillance footage showed three black females entering the store at around 7:54 p.m. They used tools to remove security tags and ran out with three Fendi bags, one Valentino and one Saint Laurent bag, then ran out of the store in an unknown direction. Deputies noted a similar burglary report was submitted on Oct. 5. Another “significant reasonable cause burglary” with similar suspect descriptions occurred on Oct. 16, deputies added in their report.
Oct. 22
Vandalism; gang-related graffiti: 5500 block of Godbey Drive. A La Cañada Flintridge Country Club employee said that between 11 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday, someone spray-painted two concrete walls on private property at Angeles Crest Highway and Starlight Crest Drive. Deputies had reason to believe the vandalism may have been gang-related, but the content of the painted messages was redacted.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
