Recently in Burglaries Category

USC bomb threat came from psychiatric ward, police sources say
From the L.A. Times - A bomb threat at USC that shut down a part of campus turned out to be a hoax by a caller from the psychiatric ward at County-USC Hospital.

The caller had apparently reported various crimes earlier in the day, the sources said. He finally got the attention of authorities when he reported a "nuclear weapon" at the USC campus.

Wilson High students deny witness intimidation charges in Melody Ross case
From the Long Beach Press-Telegram - LONG BEACH - Two Wilson High School students on Wednesday denied charges that they tried to intimidate a witness in the murder of a classmate after the 2009 homecoming game.

The girls, who have not been identified because they are minors, are accused of trying to intimidate witnesses who testified on April 15 and 16 in the preliminary hearing for two local gang members accused of killing 16-year-old Melody Ross, a Wilson honor student, at the end of the high school's homecoming game last October.

Police officer sentenced for 3 DUIs
From the Orange County Register - WESTMINSTER - An Anaheim police officer was sentenced to 10 months in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of prescription drugs.

Kevin Noel Schlueter, 37, of Costa Mesa, must serve six months in a residential drug treatment facility as a condition of his sentence handed down by Superior Court Judge Michael Cassidy. He was also placed on five years of informal probation and ordered to attend a multiple-offender alcohol program.

Pomona middle school burglarized, computers and money stolen
From the L.A. Daily News - POMONA - Authorities today were investigating a burglary at a Pomona middle school in which computer equipment and about $1,000 raised by students was taken, according to police and broadcast reports.

Former Ultimate Fighting champion Tito Ortiz wipes a tear from his eye as he listens to his attorney Chip Matthews speaks to the media Monday, April 26, 2010, at the Firenze Osteria restaurant in North Hollywood. Ortiz had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence towards his girlfriend Jenna Jameson. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

Tito Ortiz arrested, accuses Jenna Jameson of drug use:
From the L.A. Daily News - Mixed martial arts star Tito Ortiz claims his ex-porn star girlfriend is addicted to Oxycontin, and he blames Jenna Jameson's drug use for his arrest Monday on suspicion of domestic violence.

Ortiz was arrested in Huntington Beach at the home he shares with Jameson and their twin sons. Several hours after posting bail, Ortiz and his attorney accused Jameson of drug addiction and claimed Ortiz never struck her.

Two men wheel ATM with $15,000 out of Garden Grove hotel lobby:
From the L.A. Times - Two men remain at large after wheeling away an ATM machine full of $15,000 in cash early Monday morning and arousing the suspicion of coffee shop worker.

According to Garden Grove police, one of the men, who wheeled a moving dolly into the lobby of the Crown Plaza Hotel about 5:10 a.m. Monday, was wearing a black vest with yellow lettering that could have been confused for a police or security guard uniform.

Police search for suspect who attacked man with box cutter on MTA bus:
From the L.A. Daily News - An assailant with a box cutter attacked a man on an MTA bus #270 at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue today, authorities said.

The victim, who was attacked about 1:30 a.m., was taken to a hospital with a head wound.

Peeking at celebrity medical records lands former UCLA researcher in prison:
From the L.A. Daily News - A former UCLA School of Medicine researcher will spend four months in federal prison for illegally peaking at confidential private records of celebrities, high-profile patients and co-workers.

Those whose records he accessed include Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Tom Hanks, Sharon Osbourne, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barbara Walters, Anne Rice, Elizabeth Banks and Leonardo DiCaprio, according to sentencing papers filed April 19 in Los Angeles federal court.

Man crashes car into DMV building during driving test:
From the Whittier Daily News - Driving tests at the DMV can be nerve-wracking. Just ask Lucas Holliday.

When the 18-year-old Whittier man got behind the wheel Monday at the Department of Motor Vehicle office on Painter Avenue, he promptly lost control of his beige 2006 Toyota Corolla and smashed into the west wall of the DMV building.

4/20/10 3:15 p.m. update: LAPD has released video footage of the attempted break-in.

Police are asking for help in identifying a three-woman burglary crew that investigators think is responsible for at least three break-ins in the Encino area.

The most recent "knock knock" burglary attempt was April 16 at a home in Encino Hills south of Ventura Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The three women, who were wearing caps or hooded sweatshirts, appear to be in their 20s. They were caught by a homeowner's surveillance camera as they knocked repeatedly on the front door at about 10:30 a.m., police said.

When no one answered, they moved to the back of the house and broke a window, but were apparently scared away when a burglar alarm went off, police said.

The vehicle the suspects are using is a gray or light-colored compact, police said.

Anyone with information on the suspects is asked to call West Valley division Dets. Jeffrey Dunn or Maggie Brownell at 818-374-7730.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or text 274637. All text messages should begin with the letters "LAPD." Tips leading to an arrest can earn up to $1,000.

A 46-year-old man accused of stealing $100,000 from the Union Rescue Mission, then setting a fire to cover up the crime, pleaded, six days into his on-going jury trial.

Deputy District Attorney Sabrina Corsa said Alvin Synder pleaded no contest to one count each of first-degree residential burglary, grand theft of personal property, arson of property and attempt to burn a structure.

The defendant additionally admitted the allegation that a person was present in the dwelling at the time of the burglary and that the dollar-amount of property taken exceeded $65,000. Synder also admitted one prior strike conviction and four prison priors.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Monica Bachner ordered the defendant to return for sentencing on June 30, 2009, in Department 129 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. The defendant remains in custody and is being held without bail.

Synder pleaded open to the court, meaning the plea agreement was not part of a negotiated settlement with the District Attorney's Office. The defendant faces a maximum prison term of 21 years.

The charges stem from an incident on December 2, 2007, during which Synder broke into a safe in the cashier's office of the Union Rescue Mission and took $100,000 in cash and jewelry. A fire was set in a backroom of the office to destroy evidence, according to authorities. The defendant was arrested the next day.

The Union Rescue Mission - a homeless shelter, temporary residence and church for hundreds of individuals and families - houses a safe where clients deposit money and jewelry for safekeeping. The Union Rescue Mission accommodates up to 800 people on a given night.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is asking for the public's help for any information leading to the arrest of a crew of burglary suspects targeting businesses in Koreatown.

On various dates, several commercial business burglaries have occurred between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the businesses are closed.

Suspects have been captured on surveillance cameras in possession of burglary tools and wearing hooded sweatshirts, scarves, gloves and headgear designed to cover up their faces. Suspects are able to gain entry by using pry tools and various entry points such as rear and front doors, windows and from the roof. These suspects are in the business of searching for basic, hand-carried valuables such as cash or jewelry.

Note: The LAPD would like encourage all business owners to review their security plans and determine the best methods of operation for their own business in order to minimize the chances of overnight burglaries.

Anyone with information regarding this series of business burglaries or other crimes is encouraged to contact Olympic Burglary Detective Adrian Chin at (213) 382-9440. During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text "Crimes" with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with "LAPD." Tipsters may remain anonymous.