BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Long Beach girl held on narcotics charge

A 17-year-old Long Beach girl was arrested after police allegedly found narcotics paraphernalia in her backpack at 3 a.m. July 23 at Thousand Steps beach, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz said. The suspect was with a 41-year-old Los Alamitos man who was released.

The two were detained after an officer spotted them walking down the beach steps after a gate had been locked.

The girl was released to her father.

Her name is being withheld because she is a minor.

Library’s donation ‘house’ stolen, valued at $50

A dollhouse used to collect donations to the Laguna Beach Library was reported taken from the library circulation counter at 3:03 p.m. July 23, Kravetz said.

The house had a value of $50.

Teens fight in vehicles on Canyon Road

Two carloads of young males got into a disagreement on Laguna Canyon Road around 6 p.m. July 24, Kravetz said. A water bottle was allegedly thrown at a vehicle, and someone in that vehicle then lobbed a bottle back, according to police records. One of the vehicles then stopped and a male juvenile allegedly got out and punched a passenger of the second vehicle in the face, Kravetz said. The suspects fled, and the 17-year-old male victim, from Lake Forest, did not need any medical services.

Redondo man accused of DUI, hit-and-run

John K. Hendry, 40, of Redondo Beach was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run after allegedly striking a truck with his Volvo in the 2000 block of South Coast Highway at 2:54 p.m. July 25. Hendry allegedly fled and was found by officers in the Bluebird Canyon area, Kravetz said.

Two teen men accused of ransacking vehicle,

Two Laguna Niguel men were arrested on burglary charges after police allegedly caught them in the act of rummaging through a parked Chevy Tahoe in the 100 block of Cliff Drive near midnight on July 27, Kravetz said. A citizen caught and detained the suspects until police arrived.

Joseph Kenneth Scholefield, 19, and Daniel Jackson Milstead, 18, were both arrested for vehicle burglary and also conspiracy to commit a crime.

Fire in electric box causes traffic jam, highway closes

A fire in an Edison breaker box prompted fire officials to evacuate a restaurant in the 500 block of South Coast Highway and call a Sigalert at 3:26 p.m. July 25, according to police records.

The box was reported sparking and smoldering. All lanes on the highway were closed for a period, resulting in a Friday evening peak-hour traffic jam on Cliff Drive, as vehicles were routed away from the highway.

Suspect held in sale of stolen antiques

A suspect in the sale of stolen antiques to Indian Territory was arrested July 19 when he returned to the shop to sell more goods, Kravetz said.

Dale Edward Cletcher, 60, was arrested July 19 on suspicion of having sold stolen antique Indian pots to the store in June. Shop employees paid $1,200 for the pots, later learning they had been stolen from an antique dealer in Scottsdale, Ariz. On July 19, when the suspect returned to the shop and tried to sell more items, store employees contacted police.

Citizen’s Police Academy to begin in September

Laguna Beach Police are offering a Citizen Police Academy starting Sept. 18. The academy is a free 12-week course in all aspects of police work, and includes tours of police facilities and the Orange County jail, a trip to the shooting range, mock scenarios, and class lectures in all aspects of police work.

The class will be from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays and is offered to Laguna Beach locals who are at least 18 years old, live or work in the city, and who meet other qualifications. For an application, call Sgt. Darin Lenyi at (949) 497-0375 or e-mail dlenyi@lagunabeachcity.net