Local News in Brief : Burglars Still on Prowl for ‘Garfield’ Cat Dolls
Cat burglars still are prowling the San Fernando Valley in hot pursuit of Garfield the Cat dolls, police said Sunday.
The most recent victim of the thefts, which began in November, is James Welcome of Sylmar, who woke up Sunday morning to find a smashed window on the passenger side of his Volkswagen Rabbit.
Police said the car was parked in the driveway of his home in the 14000 block of Foothill Boulevard. The car was equipped with a radio, and contained other items of value, including a variety of other dolls. But the Garfield doll, for which Welcome paid $24, was the only thing stolen, police said.
On Friday, it appeared as though police had ended the rash of car burglaries when authorities announced that four teen-age North Hollywood boys had been arrested on suspicion of breaking into 30 vehicles to steal the popular dolls. The dolls feature grin-and-bear-it smiles and suction-cup paws that stick to car windows.
“Apparently, they’re still hot on the prowl,” Officer Ron Rawson said of the cat burglars. “I’m sure there is more than one crime ring working.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
