Crime Blotter - Feb. 9

The following items were taken from reports on file at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station:

2700 block of Timberlake Drive: A GPS device valued at $200 was stolen from the dashboard of a 2008 Chevy Silverado truck while the vehicle was parked on the street overnight on Feb. 3. A deputy found no signs of forced entry. The victim insisted she had locked the vehicle.

2300 block of Foothill Boulevard: A gas pump was vandalized and part of the pump face and its digital card reader were stolen overnight on Feb. 2. The equipment was valued at $1,300.

Foothill Boulevard and Briggs Avenue: A driver stopped on Feb. 2 while traveling westbound on Foothill without a front license plate admitted during the traffic stop to having marijuana in his vehicle.

2800 block of Foothill Boulevard: A bike valued at $137 was stolen just after 3 p.m. on Feb. 1 from the bike rack at the La Crescenta Public Library.

2600 block of Foothill Boulevard: Windows of a vacant storefront were smashed overnight on Feb. 1, the second time vandals had struck the same building in six months. An agent of the property’s owner said he believed the act was retaliation for the owner’s controversial trimming of large nearby trees.

Area 2

4700 block of La Cañada Boulevard: A baby stroller valued at $300 was stolen from the front porch of a home sometime between 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 and 7 a.m. Feb. 8.

Area 3

600 block of Foothill Boulevard: Det. Frank Diana was on patrol through the TJ Maxx parking lot at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 3 when he saw two men exit the store and place items into the trunk of a Toyota Camry before driving off. Diana noticed the vehicle had illegally tinted windows and expired tags and began to follow it. The driver immediately pulled into a parking space and both men began to walk away from the car. An ID check revealed Glen Contreras, 32, of Sylmar, was wanted on a vehicle-infraction warrant. While Diana attempted to handcuff him, Contreras broke free and took a swing at him, according to the incident report. The deputy pushed Contreras against the open door of the patrol car twice before gaining control of his arms and holding him against the patrol car. Sgt. Ray Harley, also on patrol that day, arrived at the scene moments later to handcuff Contreras. A search of the vehicle located nearly $400 worth of purses and women’s sunglasses with TJ Maxx labels. Contreras and his passenger, Manuel Vicente, 32, of Van Nuys, denied being at the store earlier but later were identified by store employees. Both were arrested for burglary and possession of stolen property, and Contreras was charged with resisting a peace officer.

1900 block of Verdugo Boulevard: Tennis equipment, two checkbooks and a day planner were stolen from the trunk of a 2010 Jaguar XF parked in the United Artists Theater complex between 8 and 10 p.m. on Feb. 2. The loss was valued at $600.