Crime Report: Burglaries continue as would-be suspects nabbed; man assaulted at work before witnesses
Jan. 8
Burglary, business: 400 block of Foothill Boulevard. A restaurant general manger reported that at sometime between 3 and 8 a.m., someone had broken into the business and taken cash from an office safe. A cash register had been opened, but contained no money. The business’ rear door had been pried open from the bottom and the office ransacked. The safe was also pried open. The general manager said a bartender left the restaurant at midnight, and a cleaning crew was to come in from 2 to 3:30 a.m.
Jan. 10
Burglary, residence: 4900 block of Palm Drive. A paid caregiver for a man with Alzheimer’s disease arrived at the property the night before at around 7:30 p.m. and heard a noise. The kitchen door was ajar and she shut it, thinking she’d unintentionally left it open. When she returned that day at 3 p.m., she saw a bathroom window was opened. The locking mechanism was broken and the frame had been pried open. Outside, footprints were seen on an A/C unit outside the window. She said nothing appeared to have been taken.
Petty theft, vehicle: 5700 block of Evening Canyon Drive. A woman told deputies that sometime between 5:15 p.m. the day before and 7:45 a.m. that day, someone entered her unlocked 2008 Volvo V50 and stole four Gelson’s gift cards, a jar containing several dollars in quarters, a black digital tire gauge and a white USB adapter.
Jan. 11
Assault with a deadly weapon: 4800 block of Oak Grove Drive. Deputies were called to a place of business, where police had detained 57-year-old Arcadia resident Luke Chen for possible assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities had discovered a bag containing a kitchen knife tucked into his waist band, although that had not been used in the incident at the victim’s office. They called the Los Angeles County Fire Department to treat the victim for head injuries. Upon arrival to the facility, deputies saw a white male being treated in the back of an ambulance before being taken to USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. After interviews with Chen, the victim and 10 witnesses, deputies determined the suspect had struck the victim several times in the head with an unknown object and attempted to strangle him.
Reasonable cause burglary; possession of burglary tools, brass knuckles: Berkshire Avenue at Foothill (210) Freeway. A deputy heard a call about two suspicious vehicles, a gray Hyundai and a green Subaru, their occupants possibly attempting to commit a theft on the 4800 block of Mesa Vista Drive, and responded to Berkshire Avenue and Berkshire Place, believing the vehicles would likely exit the city via that route. Upon seeing a gray 2017 Hyundai Tucson, the deputy conducted a traffic stop. He smelled a strong odor of marijuana, and noted the driver appeared agitated and nervous. In a pat-down, the deputy retrieved brass knuckles fashioned into a key chain and a bag of marijuana from the driver’s pockets. The suspect, identified as 35-year old San Gabriel resident Clyde Frankton, said he was just off probation for theft and had a previous burglary conviction. A passenger, 35-year-old Pasadena resident Manuel Navarro, said he was on probation for evading. He had a backpack between his legs that contained three black gloves, bandannas, a ski mask, two vice grips, three rolls of duct tape, dust masks and a razor blade. On the floor was a license plate that belonged to the vehicle and more burglary tools. A paper plate had been taped over the car’s back plate. Frankton said Navarro’s cousin had rented the car from Enterprise, and they were dropping off a friend in La Cañada, though neither could name the friend or the street where the friend was dropped off. The informant on Mesa Vista Drive said she’d seen the two vehicles with no plates parked on the wrong side of the street by her house, poised for a quick get-away. Her descriptions matched the suspects’ information. Both suspects were arrested. Later, a man called the station to report his Hyundai rental car had been stolen from in front of his residence, after he’d left the keys inside. He confirmed the backpack did not belong to him, and said two people named Clyde and Manuel may have stolen the vehicle after selling him marijuana earlier that day.
Mail theft: 1900 block of Lyans Drive. A woman reported that sometime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. someone stole her mail. She came home and saw the box left wide open and empty.
Jan. 13
Theft of access card: 900 block of Town Center Drive. A woman went to lunch with her husband and grandson at around 1:15 p.m., paying with a credit card. She put her wallet in her unzipped purse, and hung the purse on her chair while she ate. At around 2 p.m., she went to pay for ice cream at another store and noticed her wallet was missing. She contacted Chase bank and was told her credit card had been used at a Glendale Apple store. She later learned another purchase had been made at a Glendale Apple store using her Costco credit card. Her wallet also contained her driver’s license, Kaiser insurance card, AAA roadside assistance card and cash.
Jan. 14
Burglary, residence: 4500 block of Commonwealth Avenue. A man dropped off his children at school at around 9:30 a.m. When he returned home at around 12:30 p.m. he noticed the deadbolt on the front door was unlocked. Several rooms had been ransacked, and a chair had been used to access the home’s attic. A laundry room window was smashed, and footprints were left on the window sill and on a nearby washer and dryer. A rear door was also unsecured. The victim reported the only things missing were two Apple iPhone chargers usually plugged into a socket in the living room.
Jan. 15
Burglary, residence: 4000 block of Chevy Chase Drive. A man was in his bedroom watching television at around 9:35 p.m. when he heard three loud banging noises outside. As he approached the kitchen, he saw through a dining room window the head of a male wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. Another male was behind him, but the victim could not make him out. He yelled at them, at which point both suspects ran through the rear yard. The homeowner went to the front door and saw the taillights of a dark sedan speed away northbound on Chevy Chase. A search for the vehicle was unsuccessful. Deputies later observed an open dining room window with its screen removed and footprints and fingerprints nearby. The victim said a housekeeper had left the window open earlier.
Compiled by Sara Cardine
Twitter: @SaraCardine
