How <i> Not </i> to Get on a Judge’s Good Side

A 17-year-old on his way to Juvenile Court picked an unfortunate time and place to tamper with a BMW, which happens to belong to the presiding judge of the court, authorities said.

As the teen and a friend reportedly rifled through the glove compartment of the 1985 dark blue BMW 318i Monday, a court reporter was looking out the window of Superior Court Judge C. Robert Jameson’s office, which overlooks the parking lot.

The court reporter said to Jameson’s secretary: “What are those two juveniles doing in the judge’s car?” and the judge’s secretary immediately called a bailiff, who stopped two people as they walked away from the car empty-handed, Jameson said.

The deputy marshal arrested Shane Collins, 18, of Garden Grove and the 17-year-old on suspicion of misdemeanor vehicle tampering. Collins was cited at Orange County Jail and released. The minor was taken to Juvenile Hall.

“The car was unlocked,” the judge admitted. “I lock it sometimes. I can’t say it was locked at the time, and there was no forced entry.

“It’s locked now though.”

Jameson said nothing appeared to be missing from the car, although he said the contents may not have interested the alleged offenders.

“There were just some country music tapes, and they must not like my music,” said Jameson, who presides over Orange County Juvenile Court in Orange. “There’s a stereo in it, but it would take somebody with some time to force it out. They were crazy enough to go in the car where it was, but I don’t think anyone would be crazy enough to force something from the car, given its location.”

Jameson said the juvenile was scheduled to appear in court for “substantive offenses more serious than traffic violations.” However, he could not discuss the offenses because the suspect is a minor.

Jameson said he and others who work at Juvenile Court will be careful about leaving their cars unlocked in the future.

“Other people have kind of joked with me--who park next to me and across from me. They don’t lock their cars very often either.”