Police May Be Barking Up Wrong Tree

The Case of the Doggie Door Depredations is still open. You may recall an item in this space about an intruder who entered Vicky Colony’s empty residence through that opening and took several items, including three purses and several pairs of shoes.

The loot was later found outside the Claremont house and police pinned it on Samantha, the family dog, who had no alibi since she was home at the time.

But Anne Stokes notes that a subsequent letter to the Claremont Courier “quoted” Samantha as saying she was innocent because the items were found “buried in trees and over our block wall. I can’t climb trees or go over our block wall. My only crime was hiding, with the cat, during the crime.” Samantha, having evidently done some independent snooping, pointed her paw at some masked invaders: raccoons.

In contrast to Samantha ... : A dog in a spelling-marred notice spotted by Joyce Penrose of Yucaipa is refusing to speak to the authorities (see accompanying).

To live and drive in L.A.: A Santa Monica therapist who has counseled hostage negotiators phoned Bob McCormick of KNX-AM (1070) radio during a discussion about road rage.

The therapist recalled a day when he inadvertently cut off an old Cadillac twice on Sepulveda Boulevard.

The Cadillac driver -- who appeared to be about 6 feet 6 -- passed him, slammed on the brakes, stormed back to the therapist’s car and began banging on his window.

The therapist said he rolled down his window and said to the tall man: “Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong and you just wish someone with a gun would put you out of your misery? Are you that guy?”

The stunned giant calmed down quickly and asked the therapist if he was “all right.”

When he was finished comforting the therapist, the driver returned to his Cadillac and drove away. As he did, he waved to the therapist.

Lost century: A veterans’ publication implied that the War of 1812 was misnamed, pointed out Forrest Heistermann of Fountain Valley (see accompanying).

miscelLAny: “Rip Van Winkle need not apply,” wrote Gene Samson of L.A., referring to an insomnia study for folks unable to sleep for a quarter of the year (see accompanying). W.E. Swisher of Glendale commented that sleeping for that long “would be one way to beat the high cost of gasoline.”

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.