Briefly In Public Safety

Detectives seek clues in Smithcliffs burglaries

Three Smithcliffs Road residents last week reported missing jewelry and credit cards worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, police said.

The first victim reported that a grand theft occurred between July 3 and July 12. More than $100,000 worth of jewelry was reported missing.

Laguna Beach police Lt. Jason Kravetz said details can’t be given due to it being an ongoing investigation. There were no forced signs of entry.

A second resident reported that an unknown suspect entered their home through an unlocked door, ransacked a closet and left with jewelry worth several hundreds of thousands of dollars, Kravetz said. The exact loss isn’t known.

Kravetz said the county sheriffs’ crime lab has conducted an extensive investigation.

Police received a third report Tuesday in the same neighborhood. The homeowners had reportedly moved to a new home in Emerald Bay and sold their Smithcliffs residence. When they unpacked, they noticed various items missing, Kravetz said.

They haven’t identified when they disappeared — before, during or after the move — but believe it occurred in the past week. The loss is estimated at $50,000 in jewelry and credit cards.

Police Explorers went out Wednesday night to hand out information to residents and detectives have been there daily, Kravetz said.

Police are waiting for items to be analyzed for DNA in the crime lab. Detectives are investigating leads but no arrest has been made.

Anyone with information can contact Det. Matt Meadows at (949) 497-0758. The information can be left anonymously.

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Mother, homeless passenger arrested

Shelby Lynn Summers, 23, of Laguna Beach was arrested Sunday on suspicion of DUI, being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of counterfeit money and willful cruelty to a child.

Police became aware of a baby in the car after Summers was pulled over in her SUV near Wesley Drive and South Coast Highway.

The arrest came after her passenger, Jesse Dee, a local homeless man, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

The child was released to a male relative.

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Man arrested after allegedly masturbating in bathroom

A Las Vegas man was arrested after reportedly being seen masturbating in the South Main Beach restrooms about 6 p.m. Saturday.

John Scott Dewitt, 64, was arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct.

Police said the reporting witness said he went to the restroom to urinate and saw a man, later identified as Dewitt, standing next to him, watching and masturbating. The witness left the restroom and told his wife, then they called police.

Officers found Dewitt walking at Park Avenue and Catalina Street. He was arrested after the witness identified him.

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Suspected drug dealer arrested

Four men were arrested in Dana Point on July 10 after Laguna Beach police were tipped off regarding a man selling drugs in the city.

According to Lt. Jason Kravetz, police had heard that Michael Gillen Gregory, 27, of Dana Point might be selling drugs in Laguna Beach. Detectives were conducting surveillance of Gregory’s residence when they saw two men drive away in a vehicle. The car was stopped for a routine traffic violation and heroin was found on both men, police said.

Robert Luis Gardner, 27, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and Wyatt James Davis, 27, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and transportation of narcotics. Both men are from San Clemente.

Gregory was arrested during the surveillance period. After a while, police contacted him outside his Dana Point home after they observed him allegedly selling oxycodone pills to a man, Kravetz said.

He was arrested on suspicion of purchasing a controlled substance and felony violation of probation. They detained him and searched his home, where they found additional prescription pills and heroin.

Inside the home, detectives made contact with Ashley Mylan Antal, 32, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance.

— Joanna Clay