Recycling Scavengers Again

This morning on Watson Street there was a recycling scavenger.  He was an African American man probably in his 50's, thin with some grey to his hair and beard wearing a grey jacket, green t-shirt, sun glasses and black pants.  He was pushing a stolen shopping cart with black garbage bags tied to the side stuffed with recycling.  I called it in to the Sheriff's Department, but I don't think they responded before he left the area.

Please be sure to call these in.  See previous posts on why it's important.

Homocide Victim Vehicle Search, Stolen Mail

May 21, 2012


Detectives Search for Homicide Victim’s Vehicle

Sheriff’s Homicide detectives are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing vehicle that belonged to the victim of a homicide yesterday. Stephen Sieck, 60, was found dead inside his burned apartment in the 200 block of Selby Ranch Road in Sacramento yesterday afternoon.

Investigation into this incident led to the discovery that the victim’s vehicle was missing from the scene. Sheriff’s detectives would like to locate the vehicle and speak with anyone found to be in possession of it.

The vehicle is a black 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe, with New Mexico license plates. There is an Oakland Raiders emblem on the rear window, as well. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of this vehicle is asked to immediately contact the Sheriff’s Department at (916) 874-5115.

Deputy Jason Ramos
Sheriff’s Spokesman

From the Cowan NW Group:

I received two separate emails from neighbors about stolen mail from Montclaire and two smashed in car windows.

Thanks to them for keeping us all informed.

Please see their emails below.

Just wanted to let you know that I saw two large vehicles on my street (Northwood) heading towards Thornwood that had their drivers side windows smashed in. No other cars had been touched. Just a large truck and a company van.

Upon arriving to my office building at 3110 Watt Ave., corner of Robertson, I found a pile of mail in front of the gate to the complex. The mail was from the 2900 block of Montclaire. I returned the items to the address, actually to the neighbor, as no one was home. It appears actually that the mail, based on its contents might have been stolen from the vehicle at the address. The vehicle registration and AAA info was among the items.

While out this morning my son and I also saw the two vehicles mentioned below. Both were on Northwood near Woodcrest and before Thornwood. One was a white van and the other a silver truck. To add to these, our neighbor's car, white Chevy sedan, on Becerra across from the park at Cowan, had the back window smashed in overnight.

Vehicle Theft from the Arcade Church 05/14/2012

A white Ford F-250 pickup was stolen from the parking lot.  It has the arcade church logo on both doors.

Important update on Scavengers and new Suspicious Activity

Regarding the scavengers who threatened the homeowner on Butano

The Sheriff's Department reported the following:

The plate returns to an 1987 Dodge truck.
The owner of the truck with that license plate is of interest to the Sheriff’s Department, and other agencies.

Please call the Sheriff department if you see this subject or vehicle again.
This is not a 911 call, call 874-5115, and advise the operator of this notice.

Suspicious activity - 2500 block of Roslyn Way

Wanted to let everyone know about a woman that came up to my house this (Sunday, 5/13/2012) evening at 9:26 PM. Before she got to the front door I asked what she wanted. She said she needed directions but when I asked where to she asked if she could come into my house and charge her cell phone so that she could call the friend who's house she was looking for. My reply was no and that she might be able to use an outlet at the Subway sandwich shop around the corner. She politely, though very quickly, returned to her car and drove off in the direction of Subway. A few moments later one of my neighbors called because they saw her stop at my house. They had also seen her stop at another house, knock on the front door, look around the cars parked in the driveway, and try to see into the backyard. Almost all of the houses on our street have their porch lights on. Mine was not. I reported it to the Sheriff's Department. Just seemed suspicious to me. She is a younger, somewhat heavy set, black woman with a tattoo on the left side of her upper chest. It was writing but I couldn't tell what it said. She was alone and driving an '03 - '06 silver Kia Spectra (might have been an Hyundai Accent), CA lic. # 6KCX559..

Recycling Scavengers

Friday morning, 5-11 at approx 3:30 AM-4:00 AM on the 2700 block of Butano
Three black male adults in a "old beat up" silver and red Ford f-150 (cal lic 3H67844), were going thru  the recycling cans, (set at the curb).  The noise of their activity awakened the residents of a house and the resident asked the "recycler's" to keep the noise down.

One, of the three individuals then made threats against the resident, saying that "they" know where you live.

The sheriff's dept was called and a patrol unit drove past, (may not have gotten the call in the system yet), the "recycler's went on their way.

I/we know times are tough, but threats against a person during the commission of a crime is not good for the rest of our neighborhood.

[Editor's note - this is opinion]
The sheriff's department has asked that we call in garbage scavengers.  Why is it a good idea?
1.  We're all contributing to county revenue by voluntarily giving our recyclables to the county.  The theft of community resources to benefit scavengers is no different from stealing the copper from our power lines and ultimately might cause raised taxes.
2.  Scavenging activity may be used to hide theft of bills and other documents to be used in identity theft.  It may be used to conceal casing of homes for later burglary.  If we don't call the police, it shows the intruders our neighborhood tolerates suspicious activity (don't confront them, just call).
3.  Such activity directly impacts you by lowering your property values.

The "I'm entitled to your community's resources and will hurt you if you object" attitude of these scavengers is particularly galling.  Please don't let this happen in our neighborhood!

Getting the license plate was great work.  If we see them again, the police will have multiple reports, making them more likely to take action.

Update on Daylight Burglary Post

New information has arisen from the daylight burglary of May 7th:

While walking in the neighborhood, two witnesses saw a hispanic male with mustache and a short ponytail driving a bluish grey BMW sedan.  He was driving around and then picked up another hispanic male with mustache and short ponytail, stocky build, who ran from the DPMWD well compound and sped away.

 A third person actually talked to the driver as he sat across from the victims house texting concerning the loose dog.

 

No license plate information was obtained.

Burglary, Suspicious Person, Theft

Daylight burglary 3900 block of Lasuen  05/07/2012

At approximately 12:30 PM, the resident returned home from lunch and found her large screen flat panel TV in the kitchen.  She realized that there was a burglary in progress, exited the house and called 911.  Relatives arrived shortly after and the resident entered the house, finding her bedroom ransacked with loose change and jewelry missing.  The criminals apparently accessed the house by jumping over the backyard fence (which backs up to a DPMWD, well compound).  They then tried to pry the back door open and when that failed, entered through the kitchen window.  The culprits also left over the backyard fence where some of the loose change, and one of the resident's items of electronics were discovered.  The gate to the compound was left open by an AT&T tech working in the area.  A sheriff CSI arrived approx 4 hours later.  The resident has a dog which runs loose in the back yard, but didn't seem to be a deterrent to these crooks.  The dog was let loose out the front gate, but is back at home.

Cowan NW group report, 05/05/2012   catalytic converter theft

During the night of 4-5 of May, a catalytic converter was stolen from a Toyota PU in the Cowan school area.  Toyota PU/SUV owners, please be vigilant.  (Toyotas seem to be preferred due to their great ground clearance--a desirable feature in a vehicle, but also allowing easy access to the catalytic converter).

Suspicious person 2500 block of Catalina

On Monday 4/16 at around 3:30 pm a black male wearing a Raiders football jersey, black beanie and a necklace with a drivers license hanging from it approached my house and knocked on the front door. He mentioned that he was low on gas and needed some money to fill it up. I told him that I couldn't help him and he walked off. He drove away in a Black car. Very hard to get the make of the car but it sounded like a motorcycle. Please keep an eye out for these random visits as I feel he was scoping out the neighborhood to see if people are home or not. My car was parked in the driveway.

Suspicious circumstances 2800 block of Ione St.

On tuesday 4-17, a resident in the 2800 block of Ione St. had someone come to her door at approximately 8:30 PM, banging on the door.  It happened again at approximately 10:30 PM, another person banged on the door.  She did not know what to do, and did not call the sheriff dept.

Especially at the late hour call 911 from a landline or from a cell phone call 874-5111, (this will connect you directly to the sheriff dept without going thru CHP, which handles cellular 911 calls).

In any case, make the person at the door, aware, that the house is occupied, and that you are contacting the police. NO ANSWER is an invitation to break in. (you do not have to show yourself, just yell through the door).

Vehicle break-ins late Sunday, early Monday, 4-15/16 2500 block of Butano

I think someone ransacked a car at 2533 butano, late Sunday/early Monday.  I saw the door ajar and the glove compartment open and notified the resident. He seemed to dismiss it as his "flakey" kids.

That would have been the same night and the same scenario.  I'm on the 2500 block of Butano.  My car was ransacked. (I don't keep much in it because it is a convertible).  The console was open, AND they found my garage door opener. They made off with a $4000 + mountain bike, and a lot of other sporting good items. Probably over $8000 total. It was dumb to have the garage door remote in the car, but maybe you can send a reminder to people, telling them to not leave their garage door remotes in plain sight.or in the vehicle.