Shards of Glass Found at Mission Viejo Park

Orange County sheriff’s deputies found pieces of broken glass near a playground slide at a Mission Viejo park Sunday, the fourth time in the last 10 days that someone has targeted a local park with sharp, hazardous objects. No one was injured, authorities said.

“It appears [the glass] was intentionally placed at the bottom of a slide and on the steps,” said Lt. Tom Gallivan of the Sheriff’s Department.

Crucero Park is in the middle of a residential area off Marguerite Parkway several blocks north of Lake Mission Viejo.

The shards were found about 1:50 p.m. by a reserve deputy searching the area.

On Friday, park crews and deputies equipped with metal detectors swept through dozens of playgrounds in the area as a safety precaution. The investigation also has led authorities to hardware stores and home-improvement centers, where officers suspect the razor blades and nails found buried in playgrounds at various public parks were purchased.

The first wave of razor blade incidents occurred a year ago at six parks in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. Police never caught the culprit and the discoveries ended in May 2001.

Last Sunday morning, Laguna Beach police received an anonymous call from a young woman warning that some friends were going to do something at Main Beach to “hurt people.” Authorities later found 17 razor blades partially buried in the sand.

On Thursday, a man, who was with his 18-month-old daughter, discovered razors and nails at a small park in the Marina Hills community of Laguna Niguel. Landscaping crews discovered 17 construction nails hidden around a park in Mission Viejo on Friday.