Thousand Oaks Police Department City Watch Update - August 31, 2011

Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Deputy Jim DeSoto of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you would like these updates directly from him via email, click here for more information.

Crime Fighters,

We have made it through the summer relatively unscathed and the schools have opened their doors to the hungry minds and scholarly appetites of our children. I know many parents are delighted to usher in the new school year. The weather was unusually tepid but hopefully you still were able to enjoy a relaxing weekend getaway or restful vacation. Nevertheless, the combating of crime by the courageous warriors continues: 

Chuck Connors and company

No one pays attention much to a vehicle, residential or business alarm, as they seem to be an annoyance rather than a call for help; but sometimes people use a different type of attention getter. Three criminals wielding a crow bar broke into a collector's business, however, unknown to the three stooges, a neighboring businessman watched the men, called the police, and decided to do some enforcement action on his own.  As the men made their escape with their sacks of plundered goods, the observant guardian went into attack mode and fired two shots from a rifle in the direction of the suspects as they made their vehicular flight. Fortunately, for the bandits, the aim could have been better and they escaped with their laundry loot of collectible legal tender coins.

Housebreaking and house cleaning

Residential burglaries can be somewhat predicted as they usually occur during the day when the residents are most likely to be away from home. At other times, certainty is less than likely. A thief forced their way where a portable air conditioner sat and entered a home via a second story window. The thief had climbed a patio structure and able to easily enter the home.

Another house was entered by way of the doggie door. This method of entry happened a few times last year and it is effective as no force or sound is used to make entry. Occasionally garage vehicle and/or pedestrian doors are left open or unsecured and when the criminal sees an opportunity to appease his amoral appetite for appropriating another's assets, his abhorrent actions will soon arise.

We are sometimes our worst enemy by failing to lock all windows and doors and when the daytime or early morning thief arrives, he is there only to clean your house of your valuables. Take the time to secure your homes and vehicles.

Car hopping

While responding to a call in progress, a perspicacious deputy stopped the involved vehicle as the three occupants tried unsuccessfully to make their escape. The officers were responding to a call where the suspects were, as one suspect later stated, "car hopping." They were not trying to leap over cars with skateboards or trying to jump over moving vehicles, but they were randomly getting out of the vehicles, pulling on door handles, and hoping to hit the big score. The only score they hit was to place their names on the arrest reports. Without a doubt, these wanton and wayward wisenheimers were responsible for other thefts and they found themselves car hopping directly to the station jail. The vehicle they were in was an unreported stolen vehicle. This investigation was the result of an excellent effort by all the officers involved.

Diesel power

A resident was awoken when he heard a loud truck idling in the street. With patience exhausted, he peered out the window to see the diesel truck driving away but leaving behind two unfamiliar persons. Not surprisingly, every time a car passed, the two up-to-no-good, derelict delinquents would hide behind a vehicle. Finding this behavior curious and odd, the resident called the cavalry. When the officers arrived, one suspect became catatonic while the other fled. The escape did not last long as he was captured with a BB gun on him. Thanks to the resident, the dynamic duo did not have the opportunity to do their car hopping and they also found their names on an arrest report. The police department cannot perform their mission effectively and ably without the community's help and these five arrestees are credited to your constant, watchful support.

I want to ride my bicycle

Residents of a northeast condominium complex are experiencing a disproportionate number of bicycle thefts. Throughout the complex, bicycles are vanishing sometime during the overnight hours. Bicycles were left in the patio areas or near the front door and there was little to dissuade the thief from peddling off with pilfered, pillaged property. Like most crimes, this beleaguering and baneful bicycle brat brazenly seizes any opportune moment to benefit from others’ mistakes. If your property is worth something to you, you better believe it is worth something to the crook so please secure your valuables.

Let me relieve you of all that

The availability and proliferation of access cards means fewer people carry large amounts of cash but not all people. Just like the diamond dealer was robbed a few months ago, this victim was probably also reconnoitered in his monetary milieu. Two suspects robbed the owner of a check-cashing store at gunpoint as he left his business for the evening. Despite the K-9 track of the suspects, they were able to complete their meticulously mapped machination. Anyone who works with valuables, money, or anything else that may be forcefully relieved from you, please consider implementing safeguards so that these events may not happen to you.

Help wanted

Economic uncertainty brings unemployment and opportunity for occupational misappropriation. Usually a scammer conveys the scheme through phone calls and emails.  In this incident, a con artist with a knack of conversational conciliation chatted his way into company confines. He was hired and welcomed with a heap of cash and a new computer. After promises of being an honorable and excellent employee, the newly hired manager was last seen heading east. Neither money nor computer has been seen since.

Sweep out the crime

The Thousand Oaks Police's gang unit, along with probation and ICE, completed a four-day sweep of gang members, associates and other probationers. The concentrated planning and effort was well worth the undertaking as arrests were made, gang documentation was increased and verified, and a strong message and warning was made that their activities were being monitored and any criminal activity would not be tolerated. The message was received as prior to the sweep, there was an increase in vandalisms and other gang related crimes. Since the completed cleansing, the amount of gang related nuisances and crimes have dramatically curtailed. Efforts are underway to ensure the drop in activity stay at its present level.

Steeplechase

Two suspects are in-custody after they stole some steep spirits and scurried away after a bungled burglary. Both suspects walked out of the store with cartfuls of prized bottled beverages but officers responding to the in-progress theft arrived so quickly that the slow-footed suspects were still hiding in the parking lot. After a short game of hide-and-seek, a foot chase ensued through the parking lot, around vehicles, traversing streets, avoiding approaching automobiles, through residential areas and over fences.  The pursuit ended as the fatigued, foolish felon gave up as his flawed and faulty plan ended in futility. While one suspect was being chased, the other suspect decided to have a few paid drinks at a local bar and wait until all the commotion ended. He was arrested after he had his second drink. These two crooks also committed these crimes at other California commercial companies and currently their cookery for criminal comportment has conclusively concluded.

The amount of thefts from vehicles seem to have subsided and I thank each of you for helping to spread the word about locking and securing valuables, vehicles and residences. I continue to receive phone calls about criminal activities and suspicious vehicles. Although I appreciate your invaluable assistance, please report crimes and suspicious activities to our dispatch center at 805.654.9511 or report crime to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

Let's keep up the good fight.

Jim (DeSoto)