Authorities warn foothill area residents to beware of prowler

A suspected prowler on the loose in La Cañada Flintridge matches similar reports logged in the area, including one in Montrose, authorities said this week.

A man reportedly knocked at a woman’s window in the middle of the night Wednesday in La Cañada, the third such incident in the area in the last two days, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Sgt. Debra Herman of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s station said that a resident in the 600 block of Chatham Place reported that around 1 a.m. Wednesday she heard knocking on her window, and then saw a tall, dark figure running away.

Herman said sheriff’s deputies searched for more than an hour, but did not find any evidence or a suspect.

The encounter matched two other incidents from the night of Oct. 30, both reported as occurring between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. One was at Castle Road and Cross Street, the other in Montrose.

Herman said that in Montrose, the prowler attempted to open the front door of a residence by jiggling the handle. The homeowner saw a white man, described as tall, in his 60s, and wearing all black, running away.

“I would advise everyone, if you have some kind of light in the backyard, keep it on. Keep all your windows and doors locked,” Herman said.

She also advised dog owners to be aware if their pet starts barking during the early morning hours.

“This is scary, because these things tend to escalate,” Herman said. “Whether this one will or not, who knows. People like this look for opportunity, and let’s not give it to them.”

-- Daniel Siegal, Times Community News

Follow Daniel Siegal on Google+ and on Twitter: @ValleySunDan.