In the never-ending stupid-criminal-tricks competition, a passerby...

In the never-ending stupid-criminal-tricks competition, a passerby attempted to steal a security camera stationed behind a Redondo Beach bar, the Beachcomber reported, but guess who was watching? Someone monitoring the camera inside! The vigilant employee called police and gave them a detailed description of the suspect and his truck (the camera comes in handy for descriptions). The clueless suspect was arrested a couple of blocks away.

Speaking of crime: In a Coast Guard publication, Allan Gardner read about a vessel that seems to be rounding up record numbers of bad guys (see accompanying).

Moving on to aerial threats: The Coastline Pilot’s crime log said a person called police to report “a baby crow was dive-bombing people and windows” in downtown Laguna Beach.

Enough’s enough! Not sure if you noticed, but actor Antonio Banderas was among those selected to receive a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Geez, doesn’t the guy have enough recognition already? After all, he has an intersection named after him in Rancho Santa Margarita (see photo).

Timeless appeal: “With the absence of an actual holiday that required flowers,” wrote Scott Schiffmacher of Downey, one shop “decided to try to boost their sales this way” (see photo).

Unclear on the concept: “I’m not sure how you can promise to keep these birds together,” wrote Elizabeth Johnston of one classified ad (see accompanying).

Unlikely roots: I was perusing some books on the late actor Marlon Brando when I discovered a little-known fact: He lived in Orange County with relatives for a while in 1936 -- Parton Street in Santa Ana, to be exact. Marlon Brando and the O.C. -- who’da thunk it? Actually, it’s interesting how many people lived in local areas that you wouldn’t associate with their names.

For instance:

* Actor John Wayne (in Palmdale, as a child, before moving to Glendale)

* Entertainer Judy Garland (in Lancaster, as a child)

* Ex-President George Bush (in Compton, Whittier and Huntington Park, as a drill-bit salesman in the late 1940s)

* Former First Lady Lucretia Garfield (in Pasadena, after her husband’s death)

* Olympic star Jim Thorpe (in Lomita, in retirement)

* Paroled bank robber Emmett Dalton (in Los Angeles, as a real estate broker)

* Lawman Wyatt Earp (Los Angeles, in retirement -- he wasn’t searching for Emmett Dalton).

miscelLAny: Antonio/Banderas (actually Antonio Parkway/Avenida de las Banderas) was judged one of the top 10 funniest intersection combinations by State Farm Insurance. No. 1 was Grinn and Barrett in West Chester, Ohio.

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATimes, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.