LAPD: Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys Residential Burglaries
Van Nuys Burglary Detectives are reporting serveral residential burgalries took place over the weekend in the area of RD991 (Mullholland Drive to Beverly Glen to Valley Vista Blvd. to the 405 Freeway.) All of these took place during daytime hours.
Several other burgalaries also occured in RD966 (Woodwan Ave to the 101 Freeway to Fulton Ave to Chandler Blvd.) Suspects are described at four male Hispanics, 20-25 years old driving a 2004-2007 Totota Camry or Nissan Altima metalic gold in color. Suspects were also discribed as wearing LA Dodger apparel.
In many of these burglaries the suspected enetered through open attached garages which gave them access to the residence.
If you have any additional information please call Van Nuys Burglary Detective Robert Kraus at 25895@lapd.lacity.org or 818-374-0031.
Van Nuys Shooting: June 11, 1951
From the always wondrous USC Digital Library:
On June 11, 1951 there was a shooting at a Van Nuys liquor store.
Wounded was Frank M. Bailey.
Barehanded are investigators and medical attendants who service the crime scene and the crime victim.
Outside the liquor store, a grinning cop crouches over a blood splattered sidewalk.
Car Accident: Kester at Gilmore
Today, around Noon, a car stopped suddenly when a jaywalker darted across Kester near Gilmore. The driver who stopped was slammed from behind by a woman with young children in her car. LAFD and LAPD responded quickly.
This same intersection was the site, last week, of an fatal accident between a 19-year-old on a motorcyclist and a speeding car.
Fast drivers, distracted drivers, tailgating drivers, aggressive drivers, all these types are packed together, on the road, making our commutes ever more dangerous despite the increasing technical safety of modern cars.
Burglaries in Sherman Oaks.
From LAPD’s Ron Carter:
“Those of you who receive “Nixle” messages have already received this update. For those who have not gone onto the LAPD Web at www.lapdonline.org and registered to receive “Nixle”messages and alerts, please consider checking it out. I receive Nixle at my home with current update information.
On November 30th (Thursday) between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. there were three (3) additional residential burglaries at the 3400, 3600 blocks of Longridge Drive and at the 3600 block of Cody Drive.
At one of these residences, the alarm frightened off the burglars, who left taking only a wallet and a lap-top. At the second location, the alarm was not turned on and the suspects left with assorted jewelry, shoes, I-Pads, Computers, Television, Game Consoles and multiple credit cards. This burglar smashed a rear window using a concrete table in the yard. Please remember to always activate your alarms, even when you are home.
Many of your neighbors are not active in a Neighborhood Watch, and may not attend their local Government meetings , so it is important that we all share this information. This will help us all to get through the Holidays with less chance of becoming the victim of a crime. It is the “Fear of Crime” which we must also work hard to remove from the neighborhoods.
Thank you for being vigilant in your efforts to look for suspicious activities and persons who you do not recognize from the neighborhood.
Remember, for non-emergency, please call (818) 734-2223 and of course, if you see a crime “in progress” then it may be a “911″ call. Let our Officers verify if that person does have legitimate business in your neighborhood.
I am sending this e-mail to all of my Group Contacts, because this can happen anywhere and anytime. Being aware, alert and knowing “Who to call, When to call and What to say“makes a difference. Please read the attachment.
Sincerely,
S.L.O. Ron Carter”
With Man Goo Goo at Occupy Van Nuys
When I first heard that the burgeoning “Occupy” movement was moving into Van Nuys, and they were planning on pitching their tents behind the Marvin Braude Center, on the lawn of the Civic Center, under the piercing tower of the Valley Municipal Building, I must admit I got excited.
I imagined hundreds of young, yelling, incensed, angry, articulate, fertile, bearded and long-haired, tattooed men and women carrying protest signs, arguing with the cops and pointing fingers at authority; and then at sunset, when the grounds were closed, an enormous phalanx of armed LAPD officers, moving forward–on tanks, horses and siren-mounted, armor-clad bicycles– pushing and smashing and trampling the sleeping bags; blasting fire hoses full of water, setting loose ferocious and fanged German Shepherds tearing and ripping at running denim derrieres. The helicopters would churn up the air above, while on the dusty ground, cameras from every international news organization, and bloggers from every laptop, would record the brave and terrified OCCUPIERS fighting to stay their ground! To voice up for the voiceless and power up for the powerless and prove to the world…. once and for all…. that our great nation is doing something… something so terribly wrong! Because only one percent have everything and ninety-nine percent have nearly nothing!
But at five o’clock yesterday afternoon, Van Nuys looked as Van Nuys always does: dead under the sun.
There was lots of street parking on Sylvan Street, next to the Civic Center, and it was free (my apologies to Donald C. Shoup).
On the mall, behind the Valley Municipal Building, were gathered a college cameraman, tripod and video, interviewing a man. Perhaps a dozen people with a few signs were standing and chatting.
KTLA and KNBC news trucks were parked far away, their new technology and old reporters, ready to capture the non-event that was about to not happen.
And outnumbering the protesters, or the complainers or whatever or whomever they were; many navy shirted cops, standing on foot and on bike, looking bored and aimless and tired. The cops had been hyped up, no doubt, and sent out, no doubt, to fight and protect these hallowed homeless grounds from the invasive anti-Wall Street crowd whose lament has yet to be fully understood or properly articulated.
I was adjusting my camera when a tiny man carrying a tiny dog walked up. He handed me a sheet of protest music and introduced himself as “Man Goo-Goo”.
Man Goo-Goo is a musician and he will be appearing at Paladino’s next week where he will perform something, possibly musical or perhaps vocal, I could not ascertain.
His name, as he explained, is a derivation of Lady-Gaga.
There was not much to photograph besides Man Goo-Goo, so I left the strangely deflated protest and walked back to my car on quiet and unpeopled Sylvan Avenue.
Occupy Van Nuys has some noble aims, but when it came to Van Nuys, it unfortunately confronted something much larger than the inequity of wealth and the corruption of politics.
For Van Nuys itself has an almost mystical ability to destroy anything worthwhile, be it aesthetic, intellectual, commercial, developmental or progressive.
Under the hot sun, baked in acidic air, crowded with illegal occupiers; Van Nuys is anti-nature, for it does not abhor a vacuum, it creates one. These protesters, yearning for freedom and fresh air, had unwittingly entered a toxic and sulphurous environment of suffocation. Civic life died long ago in the atrophied heart of the San Fernando Valley. And these young hearted protesters had encamped, near dusk, in a dead twilight zone.
This is the town where a few months ago, dozens of lovely, mature Pepper trees were chopped down in front of the East Valley Animal Shelter so large posters could be seen advertising animal adoptions. New trees have since been planted to replace those inexplicably butchered.
And in a new “Only in Van Nuys” development more nature was killed recently near the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Burbank.
The powers that be have torn out the ornamental grasses and agave that beautified the wide nothingness of the street, and they are now laying down sheets of astro-turf. Yes, the meridian in the middle, the only sign of nature amidst the car dealerships, will now have new artificial grass where living plants once thrived.
Bank in Flames Painting Scares LAPD.
The LA Times has an interesting story about an artist, Alex Schaefer, who had set up his easel on the corner of Sylvan and Van Nuys Blvd., in front of Chase Bank, and was creating a painting of the bank in flames. The cops questioned him and the next day, detectives showed up at his home to interview him and ask if he intended to torch his subject matter.
I am reminded of an incident that happened to me several years ago in this same area.
In 2007, I had walked around the corner from this area, and was shooting daylight images of the historic 1933 Valley Municipal Building. As I was doing this, a woman came out of the building screaming, “He’s taking photos! He’s taking photos!” She later drove her car down the street and followed me as I walked westward down Sylvan St. and then she stopped and demanded to know what I was doing. I told her I was a photographer.
Painting and photography are two acts that may get you in trouble with the law. That’s America in the 21st Century.
New Blog for 91401: nw91401.org
A new LAPD blog, http://nw91401.org/ focuses on community issues, especially crime, for those residents who live in 91401, a zip code district of Sherman Oaks bounded by Burbank Blvd on the north, Chandler Blvd on the south, Hazeltine Ave on the west, and Woodman Ave on the east.
Sherman Oaks is increasingly dependent on blogs which connect neighbors and publish crime and safety information.
Brazen Daylight Residential Burglaries.
This happened at my house in Van Nuys last week. Someone knocked on the door and asked if “Byron” was here. I answered the door (without opening it). I noticed the suspect had backed up his pickup truck in my driveway. I captured his license plate. I called the LAPD.
This is from Woodland Hills LAPD:
Advisory Message has been issued by the LAPD – Topanga Station.
Wednesday June 22, 2011 1:24 PM PDT
Information regarding burglaries taking place in the Woodland HIlls area.
Within the past couple of months, Topanga Division has had a string of residential burglaries in Woodland Hills. The suspects in these burglaries have been kicking in the front door of the house when there is no answer to a knock or door-bell ring. Historically, burglaries occur in the daytime when people are at work, as this is when there is a less likely chance that they are going to be seen or caught.
Since there are a number of residents in the area who stay home in the daytime, you may experience or have already experienced a solicitor who knocks on your door. When you open the door, they may appear surprised and come up with a quick response as to why they were at your door such as, “Sorry, wrong residence” or “I’m looking for somebody.” Whatever the excuse is, be cognizant of their description and of any vehicles they arrive/drive away in. They could be casing your house and checking to see if you are home.
A few weeks ago, on Wells Drive and Canoga Avenue, a resident approached the inside of their front door after someone knocked. The victim quietly looked through the peep hole and observed a tall, medium build, male Black wearing a baseball cap standing on her porch. As the victim quietly moved to open the door the suspect kicked it in believing that no one was home. The suspect was then confronted by the victim, and fled from the location.
We believe that the suspects are moving around the area in a vehicle and possibly working as a team of 3-4 people. There will possibly be a “lay off” person who approaches your door, and a “look out” person on the sidewalk or in the vehicle on their cell phone. In the past, the suspects have been known to reverse their vehicle into the driveway of the house and park there, as if they live there. The suspect vehicle has also been known to leave the house and wait down the street while the suspects ransack your property. The suspect’s vehicle will return after they have gathered all your belongings and placed them by the door. The suspects can be male or female.
Be on the look-out for this type of activity and contact 911 if you believe that the suspect could be casing your residence or your neighbors. If it is possible to safely do, please get a license plate number of the suspicious vehicle. Please forward this and any other pertinent information to your Senior Lead Officer. For full details, go to https://local.nixle.com/alert/4703971/?sub_id=264372.
Contact Information:
LAPD-Topanga
Topanga
818-756-3180
topangapolice@lapd.lacity.org
Casing the Hood…
What if you were at home around Noon and there was a loud pounding on your front door?
You went to answer it and a young Latino said, “Oh, hey. I was just looking for Byron”.
When you told him there was no Byron at this address, he said, “OK thanks!”
And if you went out and followed him, you would see that he had backed his gold pickup truck into your driveway and that he had a CA License 8M59236.
A truck full of boxes. Backed into a driveway of home where he was not expected…..
Would you not think that this person was casing the hood and intending to find houses where nobody was home?
This is what happened here today and all people should be aware that this type of suspect and dubious and possibly criminal activity is going on all over the city.
And if this person was truly looking for Byron…I hope he finds him working at LAPD’s Van Nuys Division.
LAPD Warns on Underground Garages in SFV.
From SLO/LAPD’s Ron Carter:
“Dear LAPD Family & Friends,
Last night (Monday) our Officers responded to two (2) underground parking lot robberies, where the suspect was armed and property was taken by force from the victims. The location of these incidents was in the 15200 block of Valleyheart Drive in Sherman Oaks, in the 15000 block of Victory Boulevard and a third in North Hollywood, but the method used was similar for all of them.
The suspect was described as a Male Black, Gray sweatshirt with hoodie and a dark bandana. He approached the victim and pointed a handgun. The suspect demanded money and jewlery. The suspect took cash and then went through the victim’s purse, fleeing on foot.
Please remember that if you are entering your parking structure, it is important to first scan the exterior as well as the interior, before you enter or exit from your residence. Check your side-view and rear-view mirrors as you enter, making sure that there is no one standing nearby waiting to follow you into the parking area. It is common for these criminals to wait for a car to enter, let them pull forward into their parking spot and then sneak into the garage while the gate is still open or closing. As a good neighbor, it would be recommended that you practice this technique and let it become a habit which will keep you safer and also help to keep your neighbors safer as well.
The issue is that we all seem to be in a hurry these days, myself included, and this prevents us from taking simple precautions that are necessary anywhere at home, in the State and across the Country and abroad. Criminals are the same everywhere and are becoming increasingly keener in their use of technology, disguises and distractions.
What do I do if I see a prowler loitering nearby to my parking garage, you may ask? Well, first of all, stay focused on your surroundings and if you are feeling uneasy, do not enter the parking lot. Go around the block and return to see if this person is still there. Depending on his actions, this may be a “911″ call for a “prowler suspect there now“, or for any other criminal actions that you observe. Stay calm, but try to give a good description of this suspect, including gender, descent, height & weight, clothing and any unusual features. If this person is seen running away or leaving the location, please try to give the Operator a direction of travel so Officers can try to locate this individual and determine his/her business in the area.
Please remember that your Police Department does not want you to become confrontational, but to obtain this information from a safe place. You are extremely valuable to us and we wouldn’t want anything to happen to anyone.
Thank you for all your hard work to make our communities safer and for taking the time to read this and distribute it to other family, friends and neighbors. “
Sincerely,
S.L.O. Ron Carter
LAPD Letter re. Auto Break-ins and Theft.
from SLO Ron Carter, LAPD, who works in the Van Nuys area:
Dear LAPD Family & Friends,
On 12/23/10 in the early morning hours, a resident at the 6400 block of Hazeltine received an activation from her vehicle’s alarm and went outside to check. As she did so, she saw two males running from her vehicle and towards a black SUV parked nearby. They left quickly and she was able to get the license plate for our Officers. The resident found that these suspects had tried to remove her factory installed stereo and GPS, but had failed due to the alarm sounding and causing their retreat. (Another reminder to have an alarm installed and to turn it on).
She provided the descriptions to our officers and Detectives and a follow-up was made to the registered owner’s address, where an arrest was made. The person arrested admitted to multiple auto break-ins in Van Nuys, in my Basic Car area and in North Hollywood and elsewhere. The Property Crimes Unit for Van Nuys did an outstanding job, along with our Auto Detectives in interviewing the driver/owner of the vehicle and now we are looking for additional victims who may have had some smaller items taken from their vehicles.
Some of these items were identifiable by name, but there were other items that cannot be readily tracked back to their owners. If anyone has had any collectable “Betty Boop” items taken from the scene of a car break-in (BFMV) please contact the Van Nuys Auto Detectives at (818) 374-0020. We are also looking for the owners of additional items, such as many car stereos (possibly unreported by the car-owners) , Leather Bags, belt-buckles, back-packs, motor-cycle helmets and assorted other items. If you can describe any of the items that were recovered, please call our Detectives.
At two of the recent break-ins along Colbath Avenue, there was nothing noted as missing, however, these criminals have taken paperwork, personal bank statements, smaller items, etc., so please re-examine your vehicles if you reprted the windows smashed but found nothing apparently missing and then contact our Detectives or myself.
Once again, the community participating in the apprehension of criminals who were attacking our community has proven successful. The resident who reported the crime was a great witness, obtained the license plate of the vehicle (safely) and made a positive identification of the driver who was arrested. Thanks to her active participation, other crimes in the S.F. Valley are being solved. This sends out a strong message to others that our community cares and knows what to say, when to call and who to call when bad things happen. Thank you very much to our involved citizen for great teamwork and for definitely making a difference in the neighborhood! Just a reminder that we do not encourage confrontations between our residents and criminals, so please be a good witness and stay safe. A good pair of binoculars can help in obtaining a license plate from a safe distance.
Sincerely,
Happy New Year!
S.L.O. Ron Carter
LAPD Report on Crime Fighting in Van Nuys.
From LAPD Senior Lead Officer Ron Carter who works in the Van Nuys Division:
Sunday, December 26, 2010, 4:22 PM
Dear LAPD Family & Friends,
Just wanted to give you a little taste of the outstanding Police-Work that is being accomplished in your communities.
On December 22nd at about 5:00 p.m. I overheard a radio call regarding an Assault with a Deadly Weapon and shot-fired in the 14400 block of Kittridge Street. The Victim had been pistol-whipped by a gang-member, who thought that he was also a gang-member. Well, he wasn’t and as he was struck with the weapon, a shot went off, missing the victim.
Units arriving put out the vehicle description and suspect description and within a half hour or so, the vehicle was located by one of our Gang-Units. The driver turned out his lights and tried to evade our officers, who stuck with him.
The suspect crashed his car along Hart Street (13900 block) and a foot-pursuit began. The suspect knew the area, since his parents lived there and tried desperately to get away from officers. He was trapped within a one block area and after a lengthy and extensive search by the Canine Units (K-9), our Gang Officers, Patrol Officers, Air-Ship (Helicopter) and some help from the community with calls about a prowler in the area, he was eventually located hiding to the rear of a residence along the 6800 block of Ranchito Avenue.
The weapon used in this and other Assaults in the area and in Mission Division was recovered and this bad-guy, who was on parole, is now headed back to prison. No one was seriously injured and a career criminal was removed from our streets. Lots of calls came to me while we were standing on the perimeter watching for the suspect to jump out and run.
I want to remind you that if you have Police in your area, especially with the helicopters and dogs being sent out for a search, please stay inside your homes, with the doors locked, lights on and remain inside until you hear the helicopters leave. While searching for an armed suspect, we had many residents trying to drive through our perimeter and really not aware that anything was going on. Our job is to keep you safe and get the bad guys before they get away. In this case, he did not get away and your patience during this 4-5 hour search was most appreciated.
This is only one of several outstanding arrests being made daily by your Police Department. The Basic Car officers for my Basic Car (9A19) today arrested a heroin addict with a slide punch (used to smash windows) and several GPS devices and other electronic devices taken from BFMV’s (Burglary from motor vehicles) in the area. Great arrest and Officer Amores does it again. This arrestee is likely responsible for most of, if not all of the rampage that happened in my reporting district 0926 from the 22nd to the 24th. Again, valuables being left in cars is attracting these bad-guys.
Just a day or so ago, more than $3,000 in lap-tops, Mp-3 and other electronic devices was taken from the rear of the Norm’s at Sherman Way and Woodman Avenue. These items were in plain sight and unattended. Please lock them in your trunk if you are not able to take them home and please remember to remove the charger from your cigarette-lighter. This is also a clue that other items may be in the console. Together we can make a difference.
Happy New Year from your Senior Lead Officer and Van Nuys Division!
Sincerely,
S.L.O. Ron Carter
Author Note:
DAILY NEWS:
12/24/10
VAN NUYS – A male motorist was shot to death early Friday morning as he drove in Van Nuys, a Los Angeles police officer said. The shooting occurred about 1:15 a.m. on Vanowen Street near Sepulveda Boulevard.
The victim was driving eastbound on Vanowen Street when someone fired at his car. He continued driving after being shot until his car crashed into a fence, the officer said.
Gunshot puts man in hospital on Thanksgiving Day
11/25/2010 – VAN NUYS – A man was shot and wounded in Van Nuys and was in stable condition at a hospital Thursday, a police sergeant said.
LAPD Radio: Listen to it Live.
About once or twice a day, an LAPD helicopter flies within sight of my house and starts to circle.
Curious about what might be going on, I went on the internet and found this site where one can monitor the LAPD Police Dispatcher in live broadcast.
According to EveryBlock, 275 crimes (about 9 a day), were reported within one four week period in May, in the area bounded by Magnolia on the south, the 405 on the west, Sunnyslope on the east, and Saticoy on the north.
A large amount of the crime is auto theft and home burglary. Omitted from the law breaking list are such wonders of our environment such as couch dumping, tagging, speeding, red light running, prostitution, vagrancy, undocumented workers, identity theft, and McDonalds.
Killer Texts
Mad Men’s Don Draper and Suzanne Farrell
Photo courtesy of AMC
A story in the NY Times today reports that British courts sentenced a young woman to prison for texting while driving, an act that unintentionally caused the death of another young woman, whose car had broken down by the side of the road.
Driving in Los Angeles, I am acutely aware of how many drivers continue to talk on hand-held phones and may also be texting. On the freeway, I estimate about 1 out of 2 are talking.
Dazed and Confused on Magnolia
The other day, I was driving west on Magnolia near Van Nuys Boulevard. A woman in an SUV, with a car full of dogs, was plodding along in the right lane, at about 20 MPH. As I passed her, I could see she was texting.
When my car reached the red light at Van Nuys Boulevard, I tried a little experiment with the SUV texting woman behind me.
I did not accelerate when the light turned green. She was right behind me, and completely absorbed in her texting. In my rear view mirror, I watched as this utterly self-absorbed driver did not honk or care that the light had turned green. Her only reference as to whether it was time to accelerate was my bumper. She had no compelling need to drive, because she was texting.
For years, I have wondered why the LAPD allows drivers to speed through red lights. The only intersection where the law is enforced is at Van Nuys Boulevard and Burbank, and the mustached motorcycle cop who writes tickets here, at the least crowded time of day, has an easy job, pulling over motorists who make a right turn on red without stopping. (I was one of these last year). It is an easy way to boost revenue. But in terms of danger, it does not measure up with the 60 MPH red light runners who run through Chandler at Woodman.
I’m still waiting for the real enforcement of the motoring laws. We all drive in safer cars these days, but in terms of our safety, it is as dangerous on the roads now as it was when a gin soaked Don Draper got into his ’62 Cadillac and headed up the Taconic State Parkway.
New Graffiti Removal Hotline.
COMMUNITY ALERT
NOTIFICATION
LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
VAN NUYS COMMUNITY POLICE STATION
SENIOR LEAD OFFICE
SEPT 16, 2009
Anti – Graffiti Web Site
The Office of Community Beautification, Board of Public Works, has created a “self-help” web site for residents requesting graffiti removal. The web site is http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org
Requests submitted via the website will be directed to one of the contracted graffiti removal agencies. Typically, graffiti should be removed within 48-72 hours of the initial report. Graffiti will be removed from public property and private property (with owner consent). The graffiti must be visible from the public right-of-way in order to use this service.
Structures not included in this service include schools (maintained by LAUSD), freeways (maintained by CalTrans), billboards (maintained by owner of billboard) and parks (maintained by Recreation & Parks).
Japanese Police Station.
One of the observations I’ve made in living in Los Angeles for the last fifteen years, is the lack of a police presence. Yes, crime is supposedly coming down, and Chief Bratton is touting statistics that murders are falling to 1950s levels. But I will not walk around alone in my neighborhood at night. Rapes, vandalism, road rage, tagging…this city is still a very menacing metropolis.
Part of the problem is that Los Angeles is so spread out. Policing by car became the “futuristic” strategy in this city 75 years ago. But how can 10,000 cops patrol over 400 square miles of LA effectively? They cannot. In order to make people feel safe, and to discourage criminal behavior, it is necessary to make the police a part of the community in a socialized setting.
That is why I look to the Japanese model of clearly visible police stations, which are so rare in Los Angeles. In our city, the LAPD is hidden away in fortresses, or in the case of Van Nuys, way back in a 1960s “pedestrian mall”. Why can’t the LAPD build these type of small Japanese police stations and drop them into various dense neighborhoods such as MacArthur Park, Hollywood, Van Nuys, and North Hollywood?
These buildings could be designed by local LA architects and provide employment to the many who are out of work. Let’s start with 25 cool LAPD stations like the one in Shibuya, Japan.
Van Nuys Burglar Caught on Tape.
Police need help in apprehending a suspect who was caught on tape burglarizing an apartment building near Sherman Way and Woodley in Van Nuys:
Man Wounded in Van Nuys drive-by.
14631 Blythe St. Van Nuys, CA
Man wounded in Van Nuys drive-by shooting
Daily News wire services
Article Launched: 11/09/2008 12:28:23 PM PST
VAN NUYS – A man was wounded in a shooting in Van Nuys early this morning in an apparent gang-related hit, Los Angeles police said.
The man was standing at or near 14631 Blythe St. at about 2:45 a.m., said spokesperson Stacy Ball of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Van Nuys Station.
A car pulled up in front of the man and someone inside yelled a gang slur and then shot him, according to Officer Norma Eisenman of the LAPD.
The man, whose name was withheld, was in stable condition, Eisenman said.
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