Crime Blotter: Store Security Foils Alleged Shoplifter

The following incidents were reported to the of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

Day-Time Burgalry

On Friday, March 4, a 41-year-old male resident in the 4600 block of Viro Road  reported that someone between 8:10 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. ransacked his house. The victim’s 14-year-old son returned from school to find items tossed about, the front door unlocked and a set of sliding glass doors open.

Afraid, the son ran outside to call his father and 911. Deputies discovered that the glass doors showed evidence of having been pried open from the outside, causing $800 to repair. Reported stolen were a Sony Vaio laptop valued at $700 and a Playstation game console worth $300.

Alleged Shoplifter Snagged

Caught with a pair of Coach shoes and assorted lingerie in her purse, Jennifer Ann Smith, 30, of Tujunga, was arrested on suspicion of petty theft on Friday, March 4. A loss prevention officer at on Foothill Boulevard detained Smith after she allegedly attempted to leave the store without paying for the items, despite there being plenty of cashiers available to ring her up.

Smith told arresting officers that while she did have a gift card and some cash, times were tough and she was unemployed. She had gone to the store to find new pants, but saw the shoes and lingerie while shopping and placed them in her purse. She then went to the dressing room but was told it was closed. Not able to try them on, Smith left the pants behind and attempted to leave the store with the shoes and lingerie still in her purse.

According to the report, Smith acknowledged that she knew the $105.92 worth of goods were in her purse. She also stated that she was very sorry and had never before done anything of the sort.

Smith was booked and later released.

Punched-out Lock

A locked, 2010 Buick Enclave SUV parked in an underground structure at , 1030 Foothill Blvd., was broken into on Saturday, March 5. Taken from the vehicle was a Coach purse, which had been hidden beneath a denim jacket on the front, passenger side floor of the vehicle. The 59-year-old male victim noted that while the purse, belonging to his wife, was worth $300, nothing of value was inside of it. Deputies reported that the front, driver’s side door lock had been “punched out” by the thieves.

Goods Snatched From SUV

While attending her son’s baseball game on the afternoon of Saturday, March 5, a 47 -year-old Glendale woman notified deputies that earlier in the day items had been stolen from her unlocked car while it had been parked at , 215 Foothill Blvd. Thieves nabbed a purse, a wallet containing credit cards, and Chanel sunglasses from her 2008 Cadillac Escalade. Total losses were valued at $345.