Police blotter 11.10.12

Thursday, November 1

Attempting to take someone’s beer may not the best way to make friends. A 31-year-old Upland man arrested Thursday evening discovered this the hard way. Mr. London had been observed attempting to take customers’ beers at The Press, located at 129 North Harvard Ave., and refused to leave the restaurant when employees asked, according to the police report. Police found Mr. London walking down Harvard and arrested him after it was discovered that he had 2 outstanding warrants for failing to pay for public transit.

Serial tip jar theft nabbed at Claremont yogurt shop 

A serial tip jar stealer is back behind bars after taking cash from yet another Claremont Village business. On Monday, October 22, Damon Robinson, 24, found himself behind bars because of $2 stolen out of a tip jar at a Jamba Juice. Police caught up with the Los Angeles resident down the street from the Indian Hill juice shop and admitted to stealing the money. Though Jamba Juice did not wish to prosecute, Mr. Robinson had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court for a vehicle code violation and was arrested. But it didn’t end there.

A week later on Halloween Mr. Robinson was back at it, committing a similar theft at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf next door to Jamba Juice. And yet again the following day, Mr. Robinson raided the tip jar at 21 Choices down the street at 460 W. First St. He attempted to return the following day, but employees and police were at the ready. Mr. Robinson was arrested for burglary.

Friday, November 2

The driver of a van was airlifted to USC Medical Center Friday afternoon after a 2-car crash on Base Line Road and Monte Vista Avenue. Three others were transported to a nearby hospital.

The driver of the van, traveling east on Baseline, suffered from a broken femur as a result of a collision with a vehicle heading west. It appears the driver of the westbound car failed to yield to oncoming traffic when making a left-hand turn onto Monte Vista, according to Claremont Lieutenant Mike Ciszek.  The 2 passengers of the van suffered from lower back and leg pain as well as minor open wounds and were sent to a Pomona hospital for treatment. The driver of the at-fault vehicle, also in stable condition, was transported as well.

Saturday, November 3

Adam Harper, 22, of Upland received an early morning wake-up call from police after falling asleep in the middle of the intersection at College Avenue and First Street. Mr. Harper was found behind the wheel of his car, still running and in drive. The car doors were locked and Mr. Harper was sleeping soundly. It took police knocking on the door and shining a flashlight in his face to arouse him from his slumber, according to Lieutenant Shelly Vander Veen. Mr. Harper was intoxicated and arrested for driving under the influence.

Sunday, November 4

A vandal left a smelly surprise for the owner of a vehicle parked in the 2000 block of Cape Cod Court Sunday morning. Besides a cracked passenger-side rear view mirror, the car was strewn with a dozen smashed eggs and covered in sardines. The damage is worth an estimated $500.

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A 70-year-old woman’s nap in the parking lot of the Super King Market at 436 Auto Center Drive was cut short Sunday afternoon when a thief tore a pair of gold necklaces from her neck. Not feeling well, the woman had been reclining in the passenger seat of her car with all the windows down as her family shopped at the market. Matters were made worse for the ailing lady when a passerby reached in and ripped away her necklaces. The man was last seen running away with 2 others across the parking lot heading north. They are described as a group of 20-year-old black males. The gold necklaces with an accompanying heart-shaped charm are valued at an estimated $450.

Tuesday, November 6

Two Claremont residents now have an excuse to not water their lawn. Ten brass sprinkler heads were stolen from the front yard of a home in the 300 block of Teasdale Drive between Monday, November 5 and Tuesday, November 6 at 8 a.m. And it wasn’t the only house targeted. A resident in the 1600 block of Sumner Avenue was also victim to a sprinkler robbery. Five of the same Champion brand brass sprinklers were also taken from the front yard. There are no suspects at this time.

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A man claiming to be a housekeeper was arrested after leaving behind a trail for Claremont Police. Nineteen-year-old Jessy Adorno was first spotted walking in the 600 block of Citadel Drive, pushing a shopping cart. When police approached him, Mr. Adorno took off, leading police on a brief pursuit. A perimeter was set up and Mr. Adorno was soon found hiding in some bushes in the 600 block of College Avenue. Mr. Adorno told police that he had been cleaning a home in the 600 block of Citadel Drive and had left behind a piece of paper that he wished the police to retrieve for him. There was no such paper. The home was found to be vacant and under the care of a next-door neighbor. The man then admitted that he had been living in the garage of the property. He was arrested for trespassing and for resisting and obstructing an officer.

However, the initial arrest was only the beginning. A resident in the 500 block of Citadel called police the next day after finding several power tools in their trashcan that had been left out for trash day. Police believe Mr. Adorno stole the tools and threw them in the trash when he was attempting to escape the police. Police are still trying to find the owner of the power tools.

—Beth Hartnett

news@claremont-courier.com