Full Notification

The following is a synopsis of crimes reported for the week of February 2, 2025 – February 8, 2025.

February 2, 2025

• Burglary:

2600 Block of San Pablo Way. On February 2, 2025 at 12:25 PM, the victim was home and heard someone pounding on his front door; when he went to look through the peephole, it was blocked. The victim opened the door and saw a male Hispanic adult wearing a blue shirt and completely naked from the waist down. The victim attempted to close the door when the suspect placed his foot inside the door to prevent it from being closed. The victim could not close the door because the suspect was pushing it back. The victim stepped outside to prevent the suspect from entering, at which point the suspect hit him multiple times in the head and face. The victim, after being hit multiple times, was able to tackle the suspect and hold the suspect to the ground with the assistance of a neighbor.  Deputies arrived and placed the suspect under arrest. No video surveillance is available.

February 3, 2025

• Petty Theft:

2315 Huntington Drive (CVS). On February 3, 2025 at 10:43 AM, the suspect unknown, a male Hispanic adult wearing a green sweater, grey pants, and a face mask, entered the location, went directly to the cosmetics aisle, and concealed multiple items. The suspect exited the location without attempting to purchase the items and fled the location on foot in an unknown direction. Surveillance video is available. The loss was approximately $600.
 

• Petty Theft:

1050 Huntington Dr. (Target). On February 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM, the suspect, a male white adult wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, was observed by loss prevention entering the restroom with merchandise. The victim immediately called “911,” suspecting a theft was about to occur, where responding deputies arrived and detained the suspect as he exited the store with the merchandise hidden upon his person. Stolen merchandise valued at $20. Surveillance video is available.

February 4, 2025

• Burglary:

1200 Block of Highland Avenue. On February 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM, a witness observed a male Hispanic adult wearing a black hat, white shirt, and pants entering her neighbor’s apartment through a closed, locked window. The witness called the victim, who was close, and told her she saw her ex-boyfriend breaking into her apartment. The victim immediately responded to the location, and when the victim arrived, she was told the suspect had fled the location in a silver 2021 Infiniti Q50 that he normally drives. Responding deputies observed the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, where the suspect was arrested. No surveillance video is available. There was no loss at the time of the report.
 

• Robbery:

1411 Huntington Drive (Domino’s Pizza). On February 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM, the suspects unknown, a male white adult wearing a red hooded jacket, black pants, and a face mask, and a male white adult wearing a black hooded jacket, a black mask, and black pants, walked into the business and approached the store clerk. Suspect one produced a tan-colored firearm, while suspect two produced a 6-inch blade and demanded the money from the register. Fearing for her life, the clerk gave the money to the suspects. The suspects fled the location on bikes west on Huntington Drive and out of view. The loss was approximately $150. Surveillance video is available.

February 5, 2025

• Grand Theft:

1425 Bradbury Avenue (EVgo). On February 5, 2025 at 11 AM, the business noticed that suspect(s) unknown removed six charging stations charging cables and damaged the switch gear box in the process. The loss was approximately $35,000. This is the fourth incident. No surveillance video is available. 

February 6, 2025

• No significant activity. 

• No significant activity. 

• No significant activity. 

The reason is the value of the metals used in the manufacturing of the catalytic converters. Catalytic converters contain platinum, rhodium, and palladium. The metals are expensive, and thieves sell the converters to scrap yards for several hundred dollars per piece, depending on the size of the converter and the current rate on the metals inside it. It can cost you, on average, up to $2000 to replace a catalytic converter, and driving your car without one is illegal. The resulting gap in your exhaust system also makes the car run poorly until it is fixed.

HOW TO PREVENT A CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT

Always park in well-lit areas when possible. If you have a personal garage, keep your car in the garage with the door closed when the vehicle is not in use. When parking in a public lot, park your vehicle close to a building entrance or the nearest access road. This is due to the increased amount of pedestrian traffic in those areas.

Security devices are available that attach to the converter, making it harder to steal. Having the converter welded in place also makes it more difficult to remove. Video surveillance around your garage or driveway is also useful if you have the budget. Engrave your vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate onto your catalytic converter to make it easier to identify if it gets stolen.