Prowler may be at large in La Cañada

A suspected prowler is on the loose in La Cañada Flintridge, authorities say.

A man reportedly knocked at a woman’s window in the middle of the night Wednesday, the third such incident in the area in the last two days, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Sgt. Debra Herman of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s station said that a resident on the 600 block of Chatham Place reported that around 1 a.m. Wednesday she heard knocking on her window, and then saw a tall, dark figure running away.

Herman said that deputies searched for more than an hour, but could not locate evidence or a suspect.

This encounter matched two other incidents from the night of Oct. 30, both reported as occurring between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. One was at Castle Road and Cross Street, and the other in Montrose.

Herman said that in Montrose, the prowler attempted to open the front door of a residence, jiggling the handle, and the homeowner saw a white man, described as tall, in his 60s, and wearing all black, running away.

“I would advise everyone, if you have some kind of light in the backyard, keep it on. Keep all your windows and doors locked,” said Herman.

Herman also advised that dog owners be aware if their pet starts barking during the early morning hours.

“This is scary, because these things tend to escalate,” Herman said. “Whether this one will or not, who knows. People like this look for opportunity, and let’s not give it to them.”

-- Daniel Siegal, Times Community News

Twitter: @ValleySunDan