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Do You Know these Selfie Subjects?

Reseda.  Detectives have released several selfie pictures taken and uploaded on a Kindle that was stolen February 9, 2016, the day before Ash Wednesday, from an unlocked car in the parking lot of a Jack-in-the-Box in the 16800 block of Vanowen Street.

“The Ash Wednesday part is important, because you can see the woman in the picture has ashes on her forehead which tells us the pictures were taken the day after the theft,” explained Det. Mark Pearce of the West Valley Detective Division.  “At the moment, we just want to identify the two persons in the pictures, and encourage them to contact us and return the Kindle.”

The theft occurred around 3:45 PM, but the photos were uploaded a few days later, probably when the Kindle linked to the internet.  Detectives have tracked the Kindle to several locations in the San Fernando Valley since the original crime.

Many electronic devices have tracking applications to help police and owners locate devices when stolen or lost.  In this case, the owner began tracking his stolen Kindle, as well as a smartphone, which was also taken.  When the pictures were taken, they automatically uploaded to the cloud, which alerted the owner.

“This theft is unfortunately all too common,” Det. Pearce added.  “It was a crime of opportunity with items left on a front seat, inside an unlocked car, with the driver yards away, and gone only a few minutes.”

Last year, thefts from unlocked cars amounted to over 500 crimes, or about 12 percent of crime in the West Valley.  If all drivers locked their cars and removed items from plain view, we could see crime drop potentially 10 percent.

Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Det. Mark Pearce, West Valley detectives, at (818) 374-7753. Anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

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