Thousand Oaks Police Department City Watch Update - August 5, 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,

Summer is half-over and the weather is glorious. If you have an upcoming vacation or weekend trip planned and would like the police department to check on your residence while you are away, call 805.449.2760 to get this free service and to help ensure your residence is intact on your return. Did you ever have police related question and did not know who to ask? You can always e-mail the police department at police@toaks.org e-mail City Watchand we will answer your inquiry.

All aboard!

A taxi driver hoping to get some fares went to a local watering hole and thought he hit the jackpot. About twenty intoxicated passengers attempted to climb into his newer vehicle and the alcohol imbued miscreants objected when they were told to exit the cab. Somewhat complying with the cabbie’s request, the inebriates placed themselves on the hood, roof, trunk, and sides of the vehicle as if they were wooden boards. The stiffs posed for pictures but not before damaging the vehicle with multiple dents. I never heard of this ‘planking’ phenomenon.  Whatever happened to innocent fun?

Definitely not Bosom Buddies

After roommates who shared an apartment went their separate ways, one of the roommates decided to visit his good ol’ friend. Instead of reminiscing, the visitor armed himself with a knife and was upset because a previous television bill was not paid. The startled victim did not get a chance to respond before the cash-strapped crook clutched some currency from the counter and departed. After helping himself to the hundred dollar bills, the fearless felon went home where he was shortly thereafter arrested for the robbery. No word on whether the television bill was ever paid.

Don’t you remember me?

A young man riding his bike home was met by a former and drunk co-worker. As the suspect was not making any sense, prattling and being incoherent, the victim tried to ignore his former friend and continued pedaling away but the disorderly drunk stopped him again. When the victim’s bike peddling attempts failed, he turned to a new strategy of running away when the sauced suspect retrieved a rifle from a backpack he was carrying and threatened to kill the victim. Luckily, the victim was near his apartment and was able to run to safety. When the deputies arrived, they searched for the suspect and quickly located him and introduced themselves by showing their own arsenal of weapons to the suspect. Fortunately for the suspect, the officers found him without delay for the suspect had too much too drink and was passed-out in residence. After a short period of sobering-up, the suspect was arrested and shown the accommodations at the county jail.

Play ball

We received multiple calls from residents who heard things breaking, property being damaged and people yelling. When officers arrived they found multiple vehicles damaged by having their windows smashed and apparently some unlawful auto bodywork done to the victims’ vehicles. It seems that a welcoming committee armed with many bats was awaiting the arrival of the unsuspecting victim but when the intended victim escaped, the Louisville Slugger predators took their swings at vehicles parked in the street. After many Babe Ruthesque swings, the mob of marauders fled and sped away in their own vehicles. Expect a follow-up report on this when we throw our own curveball at the recalcitrant culprits.

Diamonds and jewelry, a man’s best friend

A local jewelry store was robbed by two suspects who could not make-up their minds if they wanted to see the diamond rings or the posh watches. This was only a scheme as they calculated the feasibility of carrying-out their criminal act. At the right time the criminals carried out their weapon assisted robbery. The weapon-waving crooks have made their escape for now. Before the despicable diamond-dashing duo began their crime, they were seen by people who thought they were acting suspicious. Unfortunately, no one called and the store was robbed. Please, put this number 805.654.9511 in your cell phones and do not hesitate to report suspicious activity/vehicles.

This cigarette is too good

Deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence. After receiving no answer at the front door, the deputies went to the side gate to check the well-being of the people at the residence. When the deputy was about to open a side gate, he was unkindly greeted by a threatening man pointing a handgun at him. After taking tactical positions and additional deputies arriving, the intoxicated suspect refused to put down his lit nicotine stick and wine filled glass despite having an array of weapons pointed at him. After repeated and constant directives to put down the cigarettes and wine, the suspect finally had a moment of sobriety, put down his cigarette and wine and was arrested. Thanks to the training and patience of the officers, no one was injured, including the unwise suspect who pointed a toy gun at the officer.

The Keystone Crook

Shoplifting is a widespread crime that affects businesses from convenience stores to high-end stores and most are not worth writing about. Things sometimes change. A shoplifter who emitted a stench of alcohol decided to enter a retail store, take some shirts, and walk out the door without paying; but, every time the Clouseau-like thief opened an exterior door, an alarm sounded. He then turned around and tried this haphazard heist with another alarmed door but each fruitless attempt was the same. He tried this five times before he thought he figured out the solution to beat the alarmed doors: put the clothing in a cooler and then walk out. His ill-conceived and badly executed plans failed as the loss prevention officer stopped him as he ignored the sixth alarm. When he was arrested, he also had a pair of stolen eyeglass frames on him. Maybe next time the maladroit thief could use the prescription glasses to help him see the futileness of his actions.

Let me drive

A fraudster with a fondness for financial trickery went to into a store, picked-up items and returned the items to customer service in order to get money back. Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched by loss prevention and when he was confronted, his spurious transaction was over, he ran out the door and kept running. Our fleet of foot felon left behind his getaway car and instead of calling it a day, he decided to commit a carjacking. The inept crook ran to a neighborhood, saw an acquaintance and concocted a story about switching vehicles with the soon-to-be victim. Suspecting that suspect’s story was suspect, the victim refused to switch cars but was nevertheless manhandled and pulled out of his vehicle by the suspect. When the rascally crook gets caught, not only will he face theft charges, but also the aggressive, abominable auto thief will see a carjacking charge.

Oops, sorry about that

A security officer making his rounds came across an angry assailant assaulting a defenseless victim in a grocery store parking lot. Going to the aid of the victim was easier said than done. As the officer intervened, he tried to spray the suspect but ended-up painting the victim’s face orange. Thinking the victim needed a second coat of paint, the security officer tried again to stop the attack by using his pepper-spray but again missed the suspect. Either thinking that his aim was off or he ran out OC spray, the laudable officer grabbed the suspect by the shirt in an attempt to detain him but he suspect broke free when his shirt tore and was left behind in the hands of the security officer. Breaking free, the bare-chested, bare-hand brawler scurried away to his shelter of safety.

There is an increase in graffiti vandalisms and we need to report these crimes to help identify the suspects and to help keep our city pristine. Report crimes to our dispatch center and the graffiti to the City’s Graffiti hotline at 805.449.2488.

The City is still experiencing thefts from vehicles and most of the thefts occur overnight in driveways. As a reminder, please do not leave your vehicle doors unlocked and do not leave any valuables within your car. The feelings (anger, frustration, anxiety, helplessness, powerlessness, etc.) one goes through in being a crime victim can be averted with minimal effort and prevention. Be the example and not a crime statistic.

Take care,

Jim (DeSoto)