Crime Blotter - April 13, 2011

Area 1: 2600 block of Foothill Boulevard: A safe containing $3,000 in cash and several blank checks was stolen between 1 and 5 p.m. April 8 from Once Upon a Child. The safe, valued at $200, had been left on top of a filing cabinet in the rear storeroom. The store’s back door opens to a storeroom shared by ToGos and Crescenta Optometry.

2800 block of Altura Avenue: A deputy on patrol in a historically high drug crime area witnessed a man leave his vehicle around noon on April 8 and begin walking quickly toward what the report referred to as “a drug house.” Steven Chavez, 52 of Torrance, was searched and arrested for possession of methamphetamine and a meth pipe.

4500 block of Briggs Avenue: Deputies on patrol near the Crescenta Valley Station arrested 39-year-old Francisco Vasquez of Santa Ana at 7:35 a.m. April 7 for using false registration tags on his 1998 Chrysler van. Deputies ran Vasquez’s license plate number and found that the vehicle’s registration had expired despite a displayed 2011 vehicle registration tag. Vasquez, according to the deputies’ incident report, admitted using a false registration tag to avoid paying registration fees.

Area 2

1000 block of Fairview Drive: A woman who left her home at 11:15 a.m. on April 12 returned at 3 p.m. to find a window smashed, her front door left ajar and more than $26,000 worth of jewelry stolen. In addition to a diamond rings valued at $18,000 and $5,000 each, thieves got away with two Tiffany necklaces ($2,000 and $1,000 each), a Playstation 3 game console ($250) and Louis Vuitton bags worth $1,800.The total loss was valued at $28,050.

1900 block of Foothill Boulevard: A woman reported that a credit card had been stolen from her 2003 Ford Expedition around 11 a.m. on April 12 while her car was parked at the YMCA. The victim had noticed her car alarm was activated and then saw a man, whom she described as Hispanic and 5’7” to 5’10” tall, flee the area.

4800 block of Del Monte Road: Three laptop computers valued at a combined $1,300, along with $500 in gift cards, a backpack and a $100 bill were reported stolen from a home between 2:30 and 3 p.m. April 11 while the occupant was picking his children up from school. It appears a burglar may have entered through a closed but unlocked window.

4600 block of Crown Avenue: A tagger using gray and red paint left graffiti on the rear wall of a home’s garage sometime between 9 a.m. on April 1 and noon the next day. Damage was estimated at $500.

200 block of Foothill Boulevard: A gray 2006 Volvo S-60 was stolen from the parking lot of St. Francis High School between 4:15 and 4:45 p.m. on April 6.

Area 3

1900 block of Verdugo Boulevard: Two stainless steel patio heaters valued at $337 each and two propane tanks worth $24 each were stolen from the tented patio area of Café Sole sometime between 10 p.m. April 6 and 5:30 p.m. the next day.

1600 block of Leycross Drive: A man reported that between 7:30 p.m. on April 5 and 8 a.m. the next day, a psychology book reportedly valued at $500 was stolen from his daughter’s 2002 Toyota Camry after the driver’s side window was smashed.

4300 block of Bel Air Drive: A gray 2006 Ford F-150 truck was stolen while parked on the street between 10 p.m. on April 1 and 6 a.m. the next day.