Crime Blotter: A Study in Smashed Windows and Black Ink

The following incidents were taken from reports by the

TAGGED TRUCK 

At 8 a.m. on Feb. 23, a 48-year-old male resident of the 2500 of Kemper Ave., La Crescenta, reported that a pick-up truck left in his care and parked in front of his residence had been vandalized. Causing $500 in damage, an unknown suspect wrote on the tailgate of the truck. While the report did not reveal what was written on the white vehicle, the letters were five inches high and were made with a black, permanent marker.

 SMASH AND GRAB

A "Hello Kitty" bag containing an Hewlitt Packard laptop and charger was swiped from a car sometime in the early morning hours of Feb. 24 while it was parked along the 4400 block of Ramsdell Ave., La Crescenta.  The 2010 Toyota Corolla’s rear passenger window was smashed and the bag, located on the floor of the car by the backseat, was swiped.  The 23-year-old female victim estimated the loss at $1050 with an additional $200 worth of damage to the locked vehicle. 

SMASHED REAR WINDOW

A 20-year-old female left for work on the morning of Feb. 25 to find that the rear, lift gate window of her Ford Escape had been smashed by a rock while parked in front of her residence on the 1900 block of Waltonia Ave., Montrose.  The rock was found in the rear cargo area, and glass was strewn across the ground, sidewalk, and inside the car. Due to the way glass had been cleared from the window, the reporting deputy determined that suspects had most likely been planning to burglarize the vehicle by entering through the smashed window rather than intending just vandalism, but nothing was reported missing or disturbed. 

TAKEN TELEVISION

On Feb. 26, a 48-year-old female resident of the 4700 block of La Crescenta Ave., La Crescenta, reported that a 17”–19” Toshiba LCD TV was stolen from the kitchen of her home. Victim stated that at 10:50 a.m. she left the house unlocked, returning ten minutes later to find the TV gone but her purse and cell phone still sitting, undisturbed, next to where the TV had been.  Her two daughters and husband, who were in the house at the time, reportedly did not hear or see anything.

The victim noted that just before her quick trip out, her gardener had come by to pick up a check. Unable to pay him, she told him to come back next week.  She stated that he agreed to this and did not seem angry. It was noted by the reporting deputy that the TV would have been visible to the outside through a window.