Victim Recovers His Own Wallet
A Broadway Place store owner successfully retrieved his stolen wallet containing $300 after chasing and grabbling with two men who had entered his store last Thursday about 2 p.m. and swiped his property.
A bicycle officer nearby attempted to detain both men, who fled on foot to Main Beach, said Lt. Jason Kravetz.
The pursuing officer detained and arrested Gary Thomas Finley, 38, of Riverside, a convicted robber on parole. Other officers located a second suspect, Riley Kyle Higgins, 20, of Anaheim, in Heisler Park. Both were charged with suspicion of robbery and held for $100,000 bail. Higgins was also charged with resisting arrest and being under the influence of drugs.
Pay Box Targeted by Thieves
Thieves vandalized both pay boxes in the city’s Glenneyre parking structure, a burglary discovered early Sunday, July 17.
Thieves used some sort of pry tool to open the boxes and loot them of $690 in currency, but did $24,000 worth of damage to the machines, Kravetz said.
Monday, July 11
Stolen car. 9:12 a.m. 100 block of Cozumel. A 2006 Chevy pickup was stolen.
Tuesday, July 12
Traffic stop. 2:20 a.m. 600 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. A Mission Viejo man was arrested for DUI and held for $2,500 bail.
Vehicle burglary. 9:50 a.m. 30900 block of Coast Hwy. A beach-goer who left a car in a shopping center reported a break-in and the theft of $2,377 in goods, including a Hermes watch.
Stolen vehicle. 8:55 a.m. 31700 block of Fourth St. A white Toyota Solara reported stolen was recovered by the sheriff’s department that evening in Dana Point. Three juveniles were detained.
Grand theft. 10:46 a.m. 2000 block of Ocean Way. An $8,500 racing bike was stolen from a garage.
Traffic collision. 12:06 p.m. Bluebird Canyon Dr. A hit and run victim escaped injury through her vehicle sustained moderate damage when a vehicle traveling southbound crossed into northbound lanes, sideswiping her vehicle. The driver did not stop. Traffic was restricted to one lane in both directions for 30 minutes as a result of the collision.
Fraud. 2:19 p.m. PD. The owner of an Internet-based company that sells voice mailboxes has paid $2,500 in service fees for a phony customer who uses bad credit cards.
Wednesday, July 13
Disturbance. 1:13 a.m. 600 S. Coast Hwy. A 19-year-old Laguna Beach man was arrested for failing to comply with an officer’s orders and his companion, Jordan Andrew Stiff, 22, of Trooper, Pa., was arrested for felony vandalism and held for $20,000 bail. The two were observed outside an apartment after having smashed a statue and planter, causing $1,500 in damage.
Suspicious. 2:37 a.m. 200 block of Cypress Dr. Police unsuccessfully pursued a man on foot that had taken off after being observed rifling through a car. Police never saw two other suspects attempting to break into vehicles as reported by a citizen.
Fraud. 9:27 a.m. PD. An officer was alerted by his credit card company that unknown suspects in Miami, Fla., attempted to make $1,200 in purchases, all of which were denied.
Vandalism. 12:24 p.m. 200 block of Cypress Dr. “El Toro 17” was scratched into the hood of a vehicle, possibly by the previous evening’s car burglars.
Vehicle burglary. 2:31 p.m. Cypress Dr. A guitar case was taken.
Juveniles. 6:12 p.m. Mountain Rd. Two intoxicated 16-year-olds, one of them passed out, were removed from a trolley. They were released to their parents.
Burglary. 9:30 p.m. 200 block of Cypress Dr. A purse containing a passport and valued at $520 was stolen from a kitchen overnight on July 11. There were no signs of forced entry.
Thursday, July 14
Illegal lodging. 1:39 a.m. 20600 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. Four men and a woman were cited for illegal lodging.
Traffic stop. 11:42 p.m. 500 block of Ramona Ave. A 28-year-old Laguna Beach woman was arrested for DUI and held for $2,500 bail.
Friday, July 15
Traffic stop. 1 a.m. 300 block of Glenneyre St. A 29-year-old South Dakota resident out on his birthday was arrested for DUI and held for $2,500 bail.
Traffic stop. 3:54 p.m. Cliff Dr. Detectives advised of a possible DUI informed patrol officers, who stopped and arrested a 33-year-old Los Angeles man for being under the influence of drugs. Bail was set at $2,500.
Drugs. 11:36 p.m. 1300 block of S. Coast Hwy. A 54-year-old Laguna Beach transient was arrested for suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and held for $2,500 bail.
Saturday, July 16
Traffic stop. 12:33 a.m. 1200 block of Coast Hwy. Josh David Burns, 36, of Portland, Ore., was arrested for suspicion of possession of cocaine, DUI and driving with a suspended license. He was held for $15,000 bail.
Occupied vehicle. 1:29 a.m. 400 block of Legion St. A Laguna Niguel man was arrested for DUI and held for $2,500 bail.
DUI. 4:56 a.m. N. City Limits. A New York teen was arrested for DUI and held for $2,500 bail.
Petty theft. 3:53 p.m. 1000 block of Catalina St. A Macbook worth $2,300 was taken from an unlocked car.
Traffic collision. 4:32 p.m. Mermaid St. A driver sideswiped a fire engine on a medical aid call and fled the scene.
Hit and run. 4:44 p.m. 2500 block of Queda Way. Two females in an SUV backed into and broke a huge pot worth $2,000 and drove off without contacting the owner.
Assault. Laguna Canyon Rd. After initially deciding against prosecution, a homeless person who had been hit in the face by a former school mate the night before filed a report.
Traffic collision. 11:54 a.m. Eagle Rock Way. A motorcyclist suffered a six-inch gash to his calf after being ejected from his bike that rear-ended a stopped vehicle. The cyclist was attempting to halt for traffic stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Theft. 4:40 p.m. 900 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. A 21-year-old Costa Mesa man was arrested for petty theft after being caught trying to leave an art festival without paying for three prints from three different artists.
