Recently in Arson Category

Hawthorne police and Los Angeles County fire investigators are looking into a possible arson late last night in the 13500 block of Glasgow Place, according to police Lt. Michael Ishii.

Emergency officials responded about 11:45 p.m. to the residence, where the occupants were able to extinguish the fire that partially engulfed their front door, Ishii said.

"At this point we have no suspect information, but we are investigating it as an arson," Ishii added.

A neighbor told the Daily Breeze that the investigation lasted a while, with officers and firefighters surrounding the area and using flashlights to search nearby Hollyglen Park and Cabrillo Elementary School.

The same home was the target of an attempted arson on March 24, Ishii said.

We'll try to get more information.

A man who set fire to a car parked under a fully occupied Hermosa Beach hotel was sentenced to nearly a year in jail and probation on Friday. Derek Padraig O'Donnell, 37, of North Hollywood previously pleaded no contest in Torrance Superior Court to one arson charge, according to a court clerk. He was sentenced to time served and three years probation, but will return to court April 8 for a restitution hearing.

After the July 6 pre-dawn blaze under the Quality Inn at 901 Aviation Blvd., investigators estimated the damage at about $60,000. O'Donnell, an aspiring comedian and actor who leads tours of move stars' home, was staying at the hotel with two friends. He is seen on surveillance video standing next to rented 2008 Jeep Commander just before he sets it on fire, fire investigators said.

Here's what the police sent me to let me know what's the haps in Redondo Beach.

09-08 (Monday)/ 4:50 a.m.
Location: 1200 block of Aviation Boulevard
Officers responded to an alarm call and observed signs of burglary activity. Removed was the mailbox slot to the front door of the business. Window and sliding door found to be off track, with several desks ransacked and rummaged. Search of the premises ended in negative results for a suspect. The investigation is related to the following entry.

09-08 (Monday)/ 7:30 a.m.
Location: 1300 block of Clark Lane
While processing the scene, in the aforementioned entry, a citizen contacted officers regarding an individual hiding in a yard south of the location. This individual was watching the officers. Containment was launched. Officers located a bench, which appeared to have been dragged, from the front of a crawl space. Dirt had been disturbed, and footprints were present indicating ingress underneath the structure. An announcement was made and a police canine was deployed. The police dog located a suspect hiding. The suspect (adult) incurred a minor dog bite, and was transported to Torrance Memorial Hospital for medical attention. The suspect was linked to several commercial burglaries in the area, including one in the City of Hermosa Beach.

09-09 (Tuesday)/ 12:48 a.m.
Location: 631 Vincent Park - Redondo Union High School
Unknown suspects (two) start a fire atop the composite file north of the football field. They fled the area on foot. No structural damage occurred. A joint investigation continues by the Redondo Beach Police Department Investigations Division and the Redondo Beach Fire Department Arson Unit.

09-10 (Wednesday)/ 11:07 a.m.
Location: 631 Vincent Park - Redondo Union High School
Transferred call, from another law enforcement agency, stated: "There is a bomb at the end of the Pier." Three (3) separate searches fostered negative results in locating any device. The investigation continues.

It's Harbor Area Monday apparently. I've been typing non-stop all afternoon trying to keep up.

I just finished a story about all kinds of stuff that went down in the Harbor Area today.

Here's what happened. Look for the upcoming story on dailybreeze.com and in the Tuesday print edition.

Police arrested a burglar who jumped through a double-paned window in San Pedro, searched for car thieves in Harbor Gateway, investigated the death of a 19-year-old woman found floating in the ocean off Royal Palms Beach and examined a hand grenade that forced an evacuation of a fire station and bank in San Pedro.

That's all on top of a separeate story updating the two weekend Harbor Area homicides. One suspect surrendered today in one of them. The other remains a mystery.

The FBI has released stats showing crime is down in 2007, but check out this clock that's within the press release. It shows how often crimes occur across the country:

El Segundo police reported this morning that a 14-year-old is in custody for allegedly sparking a fire in a vacant building last night.

A Portofino Inn who guest who allegedly caused more than $100,000 to his room when he set it on fire in February was in court for a brief appearance today. Zachary Zborovsky is doing the attorney shuffle, it seems, so his preliminary hearing was rescheduled from today to Aug. 26.

Zborovsky, 24, is from New York but was arrested in San Diego after making a quick get-away following the fire. Authorities said Zborovsky had a dispute with hotel staff before he torched his room. About 17 other rooms were damaged.