Police Blotter 08-19-16
Tuesday, August 9
A possible prowler spooked a Claremont resident during the early morning hours of August 9. The homeowner, who lives on the 800 block of Harvard Avenue, was getting ready for work around 4:30 a.m. when he heard footsteps walking down his driveway and near his kitchen window, Lt. Mike Ciszek of the Claremont Police Department said. As the homeowner walked toward the rear yard, he heard a man’s voice say “hey” several times from the yard. The homeowner shouted at the voice from his house, and he heard the prowler flee on foot. There is no suspect description. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Claremont police at (909) 399-5411.
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Police are looking for two women and one man who stole more than $1600 worth of baby formula from Stater Bros. The theft happened between around 4 p.m., when the thieves entered the supermarket, loaded up a shopping cart with the formula and left. One suspect has been described as a 30-year-old Caucasian woman with red hair, 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds; another suspect was described as a 30-year-old Hispanic woman with black hair, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds; the third suspect was described as a 40-year-old Caucasian man, 6 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing 240 pounds and bald. Anyone with information should call the Claremont Police Department.
Wednesday, August 10
Approximately $20,000 in jewelry was stolen from a home on the 500 block of Ridgefield Drive. The two burglars broke into the home around 12:38 p.m. by shattering and unlocking a bathroom window, according to Lt. Ciszek. The thieves then rummaged through the house, breaking open locked bedroom doors and ransacking the master bedroom and office. They eventually made off with the jewelry. Surveillance footage from the house captured the two suspects. One of them is a Hispanic male, around 20 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds with brown hair. The second suspect is described as a 19-year-old Hispanic male, 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 175 pounds with brown hair. Anyone with information should call the Claremont Police Department.
Friday, August 12
An El Monte man is in custody following a bizarre break-in on the 100 block of South Indian Hill Boulevard. Albert Villalba, 68, reportedly knocked on the front door of an apartment belonging to a woman in her 80s around 3:30 in the morning. When she didn’t answer, he climbed onto the victim’s third-floor balcony, cut the bedroom window screen and entered the apartment. He then allegedly told the victim to call the police because he thought people were following him, Lt. Ciszek said. The woman called 911 and police found Mr. Villalba in the woman’s bedroom. He was arrested and charged with burglary and elder abuse and transported to CPD jail.
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Police arrested a Pomona man at Pitzer College after Campus Safety reported he was stealing bicycles. Claremont police arrived to the 1000 block of Pitzer Service Road at 7:35 p.m. to find Campus Safety detaining 40-year-old Edward Keeton. While he was in possession of two bicycles, it could not be determined if they were stolen, Lt. Ciszek said. During a consented search of Mr. Keeton’s bag, they found burglary tools—including wire cutters, an Allen wrench and two screwdrivers—and a meth pipe. He was arrested for possession of burglary tools and drug paraphernalia and transported to CPD jail.
Sunday, August 14
Police are searching for a man who participated in the dangerous game of Vespa-tipping. The incident, which is being treated as vandalism, occurred near the intersection of Indian Hill and Second Street around 11:15 p.m., when a silver “toaster-type” vehicle—such as a Honda Element or a Scion xB—pulled up to the parked Vespa. A man described as Hispanic and in his early 20s got out of the car and pushed over the Vespa, causing over $300 in damage to the scooter’s frame and steering column. Anyone with information should contact the Claremont Police Department.
Monday, August 15
A Claremont teenager was arrested after brandishing a knife and vandalizing another person’s car. Jurandy Vega, 18, was taken into custody around 5 p.m. on the 600 block of Carleton Drive after he allegedly threatened the victim with a folding knife after a verbal argument, according to Lt. Ciszek. Mr. Vega next slashed three tires and kicked and punched the front and rear lights of a car belonging to the victim. Mr. Vega then left but was apprehended on San Jose Avenue a short time later. He was arrested for threatening assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism.
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Police are looking for five men who stole a man’s bike on Mt. Baldy Road Monday evening. The theft occurred around 9 p.m., when the victim was waiting for a friend to pick him up between Fergus Falls and Flat River. Five men in a silver 2012 Honda Civic then approached the victim and asked him if he was a gang member, Lt. Ciszek said. They then reached for his bike and backpack and, when the victim resisted, they threw beer cans at him. The men stole the bike and backpack and took off, but the bike was found ditched near Bonita and Cambridge Avenues. The stolen backpack contained art supplies. There was no suspect information available, pending an investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Claremont Police Department.
—Matthew Bramlett
news@claremont-courier.com
