BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Mother held on drug, endangerment charges

A Laguna Beach mother was arrested Aug. 4 at 1:10 p.m. after police searched her home on Mar Vista Way and allegedly found heroin and syringes, Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

Her four-year-old daughter was also in the apartment.

Melissa Ann Bamberg, 23, was arrested on multiple drug charges as well as on suspicion of child endangerment.

She was taken to Orange County jail and held on $120,000 bail, Kravetz said.

The child was released to Bamberg’s parents.

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Police look into possibly stolen ring left at jeweler

Police are trying to determine whether a ring that had been left with a local jeweler for several months had been stolen, Kravetz said.

A man brought the ring to the jeweler in May and tried to sell it, saying it had been inherited. The store wouldn’t purchase the ring without paperwork indicating that it was indeed inherited.

The suspect left the ring with the jeweler and said he would be back with the paperwork, but had never come back.

Employees tried to contact the man, and finally called police, thinking the ring might have been stolen.

Police will try to match the ring to a crime, Kravetz said.

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After-hours liquor purchase goes awry

A Laguna Hills man was arrested after allegedly swiping a bottle of vodka after being turned down in an attempt to purchase it after hours, Kravetz said.

Torryn Chad Zwiegle, 23, and a friend went to Ralph’s supermarket after 2 a.m. on Aug. 7 and tried to purchase alcohol, Kravetz said.

When the clerk said he couldn’t sell liquor after 2 a.m., Zwiegle allegedly fled the store with a bottle of $34 vodka.

The clerk obtained the license plate on the suspect’s car and police stopped it near Diamond Street and South Coast Highway.

The bottle was retrieved, and Zwiegle was arrested on a petty theft charge.

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Arizona woman ends up with costly cab ride

A woman who allegedly tried to bilk a cabby out of a pricey fare ended up facing multiple charges Aug. 8.

Liane Rose Prince, 37, of Tuscon, Arizona, took a cab from LAX to Laguna Beach, Kravetz said. Upon arriving in Laguna, the driver called police claiming Prince was refusing to pay the fare.

Police tried to mediate the dispute, but discovered the suspect did not have enough funds to pay even a portion of the fare, Kravetz said.

After the suspect was arrested, police searched her belongings and allegedly found narcotic prescription pills for which she did not have a prescription.

She was arrested on drug charges in addition to defrauding the cab driver.

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Divers search for missing swimmer at Main Beach

Two dive teams were called out on Aug. 9 at 2:16 p.m. to search for a missing swimmer at Main Beach, according to police records.

The woman was reported 50 yards off the beach, and the Harbor Patrol also responded. A helicopter was called to assist, but before the copter arrived, the woman was located at a lifeguard tower.

She was given medical aid, Kravetz said.

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Israeli men arrested on several drug charges

Two Israelis were arrested on multiple drug charges and handed over to ICE after police pulled their car over at 9:36 p.m. Aug. 9 on South Coast Highway near Diamond Street, Kravetz said.

During a search of the vehicle, officers allegedly retrieved cocaine, hashish, and meth, Kravetz said.

Kfir Damari, 27, and David Lankari, 32, were held on $20,000 bond.

Both are Israeli nationals and had overstayed their visas, Kravetz said.