LAPD Detective Bill Longacre got the tip in December 2005: Someone had rented a storage locker and filled it with stolen guns and jewelry.

When he opened the locker, he found a bag mixed with family heirlooms and other valuables taken from across Los Angeles County. And he discovered photos and copies of a visa, all with the same name - Ignacio Del Pe a Rio.

Showing the photos to the clerk and manager of the storage facility, Longacre discovered that the man was the same one who had rented the locker.

Over the next two months, Longacre used a database that matches suspect descriptions, and he came up with a few matches for Rio, who turned out to have 35 aliases and whose real name was Roberto Caveda. Quickly, he realized he had a big case on his hands.

As Longacre closed in, Caveda made a crucial mistake on Feb. 16, 2006 - when he was caught during a burglary in Sherman Oaks.

The arrest capped a spree in which Caveda admitted to burglarizing more than 1,000 homes in two years and led police to $16 million in recovered property, some buried near the 118 Freeway in Granada Hills.

Partly because of his work on that case, Longacre, 61, was honored Thursday with the 2008 Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation Investigative Excellence Award.

That's Longacre in the photo above. I interviewed him in the third floor interview room at Parker Center, the same room Charles Manson was interrogated in the 60s and later O.J. Simpson. Behind the air conditioning gauge in the room the department had a video camera set up to record confessions back in the day.

Los Angeles Police Department have released a sketch of a man who attempted to sexually assault two young girls in separate incidents.

The first assault occurred on April 30, 2008, at around 7:30 a.m., when a Latino man approached an 8-year-old girl walking in the 600 block of Burlington Avenue. The man lured the girl into a secluded area of an apartment building located at 625 South Burlington Avenue and attempted to sexually assault her.

On February 29, 2008, at 9:00 a.m., the same suspect approached a 9-year-old girl walking near James M. Wood Boulevard and Hoover Street. The suspect initiated a conversation with the girl and pulled her into an apartment building where he attempted to sexually assault her.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, 25-30 years of age with black spiked hair. He's about 5 feet six inches tall and weigh 170 pounds. He was last seen driving a blue unknown make and model vehicle. A composite sketch of the suspect is available through Media Relations Section.

Anyone with information is asked to call Rampart Sexual Assault Detective Sofie Toledo at (213) 207-2031 or Robbery Homicide Detective John Wong at (213) 485-2921. After hours and on weekends, please call the 24-hour Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAW-FULL (529-3855).

July 10, 1901
Craiton, H.R., Emp. 2nd hand store, So Main St. - Returning from visit to his girl, 2 this a.m.,; front of Horace Bell's place Figueroa St., was shot at from ambush, behind shrubbery.

July 10
Compfort, L.B., Driver of milk wagon - Shot in back, while on his wagon, 21st & Toberman, abt. 3 this a.m. Taken to Cal. Hospital, 4:30 a.m.

July 14
Macchiaroli, Cano, 829 Yale St. - Shot at 8 this a.m., West Glendale by Antonio Pellegrine, living at 729 Castellar.

Aug. 21
Bachelors, Body of man, to't to be Bachelors, found in Westlake. Kelly and Quinn.

Sept. 3
Rasche, Fred, Foreman, baker, Ebingers Bakery, 3d and Spring St. - At or near 9th and Wall St., 3:30 this a.m. on way home from work, shot in right side (flesh wound). Was a non-union man. Susp. Stevan Faviamovich, union baker, arrested by Sergeant Williams.

Oct. 7
Chow Youck Toy, C----
Shot and killed, Chinatown, abt. 7 this p.m. by Wong Bing arrested at Pasadena by Ritch, this eve.

Nov. 19
Wilcox, Abram P., wife and child - Found murdered in their ranch house near Downey; probably killed night of 16th inst.

Dec. 19
Neilson, Carl, Chatsworth Park Tunnel - Held up by three men, just above S.P. yds., this evening, and compelled to lie down while they committed sodomy on him. Says his companion, W. McGrew was with him. (Captain Hensley).

Dec. 3
Sampson, John - Shot and killed his wife at 4th and Spring St. on sidewalk, this p.m. Immediately arrested by crossing officer O.T. Walker.

Feb. 19, 1902
Wiley, Mrs. H.S. - Shot at her rooming house, (about noon) At The Columbia, 512 So. Broadway by D.C. Kent. He shot her twice in right side and once in left arm, then shot himself in forehead, only making a flesh wound; then cut throat with razor. Kent was her partner in lodging house (and lover). Kent committed suicide by taking carbolic acid in receiving hospital on March 12, 1902.

Wong Ung Wong - Murdered, about 1 this a.m., at Simons Brick Yard, 825 Boyle Ave. by On Ling Sing, who was arrested in San Francisco April 4th, and returned to Los Angeles by Hawley. Hawley, Auble, Steele & Kelly on case.

ENCINO - A shooting on Ventura Boulevard this afternoon launched police on a manhunt for the gunman and prompted officials at a nearby private school to lock down the campus.

One man was hit in the shooting, just after noon, and taken to a local hospital, said Los Angeles Police spokesman Richard French. The victim's condition and identity were not immediately available. The shooter, described only as a Latino man, fled the scene in the 17600 block of Ventura Boulevard, near White Oak Avenue.

A couple of blocks away, Crespi Carmelite High School shut down, keeping its students and faculty members in locked rooms on campus, said Brian Banducci, dean of students.

"The school is closed at this point. No one comes in or out," Banducci said. "(Police) have K-9s in the area. ... We're actually on the western perimeter of the area they're containing right now."

He said the school will remain locked down until the LAPD tells them it's safe. At most, Banducci said, the school sees one or two precautionary lock-downs a year.

See the story at dailynews.com.

ROBBERY/GTA:
DATE / TIME: 5/13/08, 1215 hrs LOCATION: Atoll Ave /
Victory Blvd
TYPE OF WEAPON: Bodily Force SUSPECT(S) IN CUSTODY: No
# OF VICTIM(S): 1 # OF SUSPECT(S): 1
INJURIES: No TYPE OF INJURIES: None
GANG RELATED: Unk NOTIFICATIONS: W/C, Dets, C/O's
COMMENTS: Victim was painting when the suspect approached him. The
suspect pushed the victim to the ground and took the vehicle keys from
the victim's hands. The suspect fled in the victim's vehicle.

HOMICIDE

DATE / TIME: 5/13/08, 0250 hrs LOCATION:
9000 block of Nagle St
TYPE OF WEAPON: Handgun SUSPECT(S) IN CUSTODY:
No
# OF VICTIM(S): 1 # OF SUSPECT(S): Unk
INJURIES: Yes
TYPE OF INJURIES: GSW
GANG RELATED: Yes
NOTIFICATIONS: W/C, Dets, O/C's, OVB, RACR, CM
COMMENTS: Suspect(s) shot the victim multiple times, then fled the
location. The victim was transported to the hospital where he was
pronounced dead. Homicide detectives are handling. The incident does
not appear to be gang related.

HOMICIDE

DATE / TIME: 5/13/08, 1500 hrs LOCATION:
12700 block of Lourve St
TYPE OF WEAPON: Handgun SUSPECT(S) IN CUSTODY:
No
# OF VICTIM(S): 1 # OF SUSPECT(S): Unk
INJURIES: Yes
TYPE OF INJURIES: GSW to chest
GANG RELATED: Yes
NOTIFICATIONS: W/C, Dets, C/O's, OVB, RACR, CM
COMMENTS: Suspect(s) shot the victim (gang member) in the chest, with a
handgun. The victim succumbed to his injury at 1813 hrs. Homicide
detectives responded to the crime scene and collected evidence.

Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn continues to take fire from talk radio hosts and conservative bloggers, two weeks after a television news report accused her of providing city funds to active gang members under the auspices of gang intervention programs.

But a review of the Fox 11 News story found major flaws that undermine its central allegations. Most notably, records and interviews show that the gang intervention workers identified in the report have not received city funding. Additionally, a convicted rapist was wrongly identified as a gang intervention worker, and Hahn was mistakenly accused of providing funds directly to gang workers.

The story was largely based on the allegations of two Los Angeles Police Department officers who contend that Hahn pressured the department to remove them from their foot beats in Watts due to complaints about their aggressive tactics.

The conflict between Hahn and the two officers - Ryan Moreno and Chuck Garcia - dates to late 2005, when she responded to a spate of violence in Watts by starting a gang task force.

At 8 a.m. at the Devonshire Community Police Station, 10250 Etiwanda Ave., Northridge, Los Angeles City Councilman Greig Smith, and Los Angeles Police Department homicide detectives will ask for the public's help to identify a suspect who accosted an elderly homeless man, causing him to suffer fatal head injuries. For additional information, contact Matt Myerhoff, Communications Director, Council District 12, Cell: (818) 613-2248. Matt.Myerhoff@lacity.org.

A Latino in his 20s punched Harold Gene Loftis, 69, at Roscoe and Reseda boulevards about 10 p.m. April 14

Sean McGuire was arrested early Sunday at a convenience store after Drake University security guards noticed the colored candies falling on the ground around the officer. When the officer turned around, an M&M hit his shoulder, according to a police report.

McGuire claimed he threw the candy because he was "sticking up for his friend," who apparently was the man suspected in the accident, the report states.

McGuire, of Glenview, Ill., was released from jail Sunday after posting $1,000 bond. A telephone call to his cellphone Monday wasn't immediately returned.

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, the City's chief prosecutor, today joined with representatives of the Los Angeles Police Department to announce the filing of a groundbreaking lawsuit seeking to prevent five pimps and 36 chronic prostitutes from operating in the Figueroa Corridor. He is also unveiling a diversion program to educate prostitutes and "Johns" about the legal consequences, health risks, and community impact of their illegal conduct.

"We're launching the injunction for chronic offenders and the
diversion program for first-time offenders at the same time because
fighting crime in the 21st Century means getting smarter - not just
tougher - with our public safety initiatives," said City Attorney
Delgadillo.

The Pimp and Prostitution Injunction

The nuisance abatement action brought by the City Attorney's Safe
Neighborhoods Division seeks to exclude five pimps and 36 chronic
prostitutes from the Figueroa Corridor - an area defined as 100 yards
to each side of Figueroa Street between Vernon Avenue and El Segundo
Boulevard in South Los Angeles. The defendants have repeatedly returned
to the Figueroa Corridor despite law enforcement efforts to stop them.

All 36 prostitutes named in the injunction have been convicted at least
twice for engaging in prostitution in the Figueroa Corridor, and account
for 127 prostitution arrests in the Figueroa Corridor and more than 300
prostitution arrests throughout Southern California.

Four pimps named in the injunction are affiliated with gangs including
the Shotgun Crips, Front Hood Crips and Denver Lane Bloods.

Pimps named in the injunction are excluded from the Figueroa Corridor
and are prohibited from associating with or assisting prostitutes; using
intimidation; interfering with traffic or possessing weapons. They must
also report any vehicle and residential information to law enforcement.
Prostitutes named in the injunction are also excluded from the Figueroa
Corridor. Violations of the injunction could result in criminal
prosecution.

We have included within this injunction an opt-out provision which
provides those who can demonstrate they are no longer engaging in
criminal activity - and have met certain court-ordered requirements --
with a way out.

The Prostitution Diversion Program

The City Attorney also today announced the launch of the Figueroa
Corridor Prostitution Diversion Program. The program is designed to
reduce the number of prostitutes and "Johns" along the Figueroa
Corridor.

The Diversion program is open to first-time offender prostitutes and
"Johns" who have no prior convictions for drugs or violence.
Program participants must enroll in, and complete, an eight hour seminar
and must submit to an AIDS test and follow-up support services. If the
offender completes of the seminar and appropriate referral services, no
charges will be filed.

The Figueroa Corridor suffers more from the harmful actions of pimps,
prostitutes, and those seeking prostitutes than any other part of the
City. The LAPD has devoted vast resources to attacking this problem,
including conducting undercover operations, and providing dedicated
patrols and foot patrols. Since 2002, more than 1,000 prostitutes have
been arrested in the Figueroa Corridor and prosecuted by City Attorney
Delgadillo's Neighborhood Prosecutors. The City Attorney targeted 20
nuisance properties for abatement because of vice and drug activity
linked to prostitution, resulting in the reduction of
prostitution-related crimes at these locations by 65%.

Deputy City Attorney Dan Whitley is the City prosecutor assigned to the
litigation and Neighborhood Prosecutor Sonja Dawson created the
prosecution diversion program in cooperation with LAPD and our service
provider partners.

On March 16, 2008, at around 6:45 a.m., 72-year-old Artine Zarkarian was riding his bicycle northbound on Western Avenue when an unknown vehicle struck the rear of his bike just south of Elmwood Avenue and failed to stop.

Ejected from his bicycle, Zakarian landed on the street and sustained serious head injuries. He was transported by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics to a local hospital and eventually died from his injuries on April 29.

Anyone with additional information about the incident is encouraged to contact Detective Acosta at the LAPD West Traffic Division, (213) 473-0234. During off-hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour toll free number at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).

Hi Folks,

There has been a rash of burglaries from a motor vehicle in our area. The area of Vanowen between Lindley and White Oak, especially.

To protect yourself, avoid leaving your doors and/or windows unlocked, try to park in a well lighted place, and above all, do not leave any thing in plain view from outside the vehicle. Leaving charging cords, mounting bracket or any thing associated with electronic equipment in plain view is like an invitation to the thief that walks by your vehicle.

Protect yourself!!!!

Christensen, Simon - Supposed to have been murdered, night of Sept. 9, '99, and put on S.P bridge where he was run over by cars. On March 8-1900, Hawley & Auble arrested a Mexican on suspicion of being the murderer but turned him loose as could not find the Mexican that gave the information.

1900, March 10
• Gooding, Judge Henry C. - Held up in front of his residence on night of Mar. 10th, 1900, by two unknown men and shot (not fatally). Grant, Rev. Peter, held up same night on 29th St., about half hour before the above occurence. Wm. O'Brien and Kernell arrested and held to answer on the Grant charge. Mr. Sutter, held up same night; propr. of jewelry store next door to Lee Bros. on So. Spring.

  Apr. 21
  

• Hilduer, George - Shot and killed abt. 9:15 p.m. on 1st St., between Breed & Soto, while on way home, in company with his mother, by two foot pads. Shot in left side while running away from them, evidently with 38 Colts, from bullet extracted from body. No trace of foot pads.

  21
  

• Johnson Palomi, Mexican - Stabbed to death some time last night in rooms of M. Castella, New High St.; susp. Castella. Both drunk. Steele & Auble on case. Castella captured.

  May 22
  

• Kong Gon Chung, (Chinaman) - Shot-killed-Chinatown, this eve.; susp. Wong Ah Gong, Lem Yick and Wong Ah Hugh, highbinders.

  31
  

• Copeland, A.R. Private watchman - Held up and shot in back of neck by 2 highwaymen, 6th & Union, 8:45 this p.m.

  June 2
  

• Breckenridge, W. J., 2407 Budlong Ave. - Held up and shot, 9:15 this p.m. by 2 men, 24th St. near Vermont. Died 3:15 p.m. June 3d.

  July 15
  

• Mitchell, Elmer, Fireman, Santa Fe R.R. - Shot last night by C.C. Tilley, grocer, for being intimate with his, Tilley's wife. Taken to Pacific Hospital under care of Dr. Rebecca Lee Dorsey. Mitchell got well and no complaint issued.

  Aug. 10
  

• Slovinski, John - Committed suicide, shot self in mouth, with shot gun, @ room @ Lawrence, W 5th St. Had been arraigned in Judge Austin's court, in company with his wife for attemp to extort money by badger game or similar device. (Any of Mean Street's readers know what a badger game is? Post your comments here.)
  

In order to send items to our troops, please see the Troops Wish List below and take your items to your local Community Police Station where a Red Bin has been placed in the lobby for collections. Items will be collected until June 28, 2008 at which time the care packages will be prepared and mailed. For further information please visit www.ForTheTroops.us. Check out lapd.org for the locations of the police stations.

Wish List:

Gum

White Athletic Socks

Candy

Baby Wipes (cuz you just never know)

Nuts

Travel size board games

Potato Chips (in cylinder cans)

Computer USB Flash Drive

Trailmix

Memory Sticks

Pop Tarts

Q-Tips

Canned Tuna Fish

Pipe Cleaners

Crystal Light powder

AA and AAA Batteries

Pre-sweetened Powdered Gatorade

Letters of Appreciation

Granola and Power Bars

Movies-DVD's

Beef Jerky (No Pork, Please!)

Music -CD's

Crosswords, Word Search, Suduko Small Handheld Games

Non Prescription Medications (aspirin, Advil, eye drops, foot powder, sunblock, anti-itch cream, chapstick, and cold/allergy medications.)