Briefs

7/15/13

Fullerton Police Department worked alongside the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to inspect a suspicious package in the parking lot of the NJC.  OCSD sent their bomb squad to handle the situation while FPD gave backup wherever needed.

The bomb squad determined the bag was not a bomb and was returned to its owner – a local transient. The teams worked efficiently enough to clear the parking lot in less than an hour.

Corporal Moore responded to the Safe Place regarding an assault report.  The alleged assault occurred early Tuesday morning at the 2600 block of Milton where the victim was attending a party.

The victim mistakenly reported the crime occurred in Irvine but IPD contacted Fullerton to eventually meet with the family.  Family Crimes detectives were requested due to the lead on the known suspect.

Corporals Ledbetter, DuFresne and Flores were joined by Officer Gibson to safely detain an adult male actively burglarizing his mother’s property.

When units arrived, the subject had already broken into the car and obtained a crowbar – which he used to destroy the car and the windows to his mother’s apartment.

The subject, a schizophrenic Los Angeles area gang member, was upset with his mother and her male friend.  Thanks to the quick responses of Ofc. Gibson and Cpl. Ledbetter – who were first on scene – the subject was detained under the best-case scenario, officials said.

The subject was arrested and charged with felony vandalism.

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7/13/13

Families from Fullerton’s Rock Harbor Church visited the Department to thank Officers and other personnel for their service Saturday evening.  Brownies, cookies, and other goodies were served with hand-written thank you notes to the men and women responsible for keeping the peace in their community.  Officials appreciated the gesture for what has been called a “thankless job.”

That night, Fullerton PD got back to business with a call that involved a fight between a male and female at 245 W. Elm.  Officers arrived to find both parties had fled the scene.

Officer San Angelo tried to contact those still in the house about the call but were met with little cooperation.  A mother and her two adult children tried to prevent the officers from entering the house and were eventually arrested for obstruction of justice.

The night rounded out with a fight involving approximately 20 people.  Gang members were said to have instigated the brawl.  Officers Bak and Murphy and Corporal Song responded to the incident and made the resulting arrests.

The investigation is still underway to determine who started the altercation.

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7/12/13

Officer Greene and Corporal Garcia contacted Jasmine Castillo about a suspicious vehicle at 801 West Valencia.

Greene and Garcia made the arrest of Castillo who had a $25,000 warrant out of Huntington Beach — one of three notable arrests they made that shift.

Officer Bak and Corporal Radus arrested Omar Velez, who had a one million dollar warrant for his arrest for robbery as a member of a local gang.

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7/9/13

Officers were dispatched to the north alley of 1119 W. Porter Avenue Tuesday night at 9:53 p.m., regarding a suspicious male in possession of what looked like a handgun.  The suspect reportedly tucked the gun into his waistband before entering the Fresh and Easy grocery store.

Officers Tim Haid and Ed Lemoine arrived on the scene just as a clerk chased the suspicious male out of the store, and informed the officers that the suspect has stolen several items.

A backpack was found near 1101 W. Porter Avenue, with the stolen merchandise inside.  A black BB gun, which had been spray painted to closely resemble a handgun, was also recovered.

When asked, the clerk recounted that the subject did not brandish his weapon; instead pushing her out of the way trying to flee the scene.

Anyone with information that may assist in finding the perpetrator can leave an anonymous tip here: Send An Anonymous Tip.

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7/7/13

Mark Laughun, 27, was observed trespassing at 107 S. Kellogg Sunday afternoon.  He was attempting to steal from numerous houses in the area, five in all, but was confronted by Officer Kyle Baas.  When Baas stopped him, Laughun immediately became uncooperative and combative.

Laughun charged Baas while twirling his metal belt above his head, screaming, “Shoot me.”  Baas requested for immediate backup and was answered by Corporal Perry Thayer.  Thayer deployed his Taser, thus allowing officers to detain Laughun.

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7/6/13

Fabine Romine (23) attempted to steal $7,000 worth of golf equipment from the Olympic Golf located at 1967 W. Malvern.  When confronted by employees, he produced a switchblade knife and used it on two of those employees.

Both suffered lacerations – to the abdomen and forearm – their wounds are not considered life-threatening.

Romine continued to fight outside the store until officers arrived, recovered the knife, and detained his subject.  Romine is on probation out of Los Angeles County for robbery.

Later, officers were sent to the RV storage facility on 167 S. Brookhurst regarding a suspicious person, reported by employees from Grace Ministries.  They noticed a man sitting on the ground with a shotgun lying next to him.

Officers arrived to find a body with a shotgun wound to the head.  Based on the condition of the body, it appears that he had been there for some time.  The passport and cell phone belonging to a reported missing adult – missing since June 6 – were found in an RV that had been broken into.

The coroner responded to the call and will do a follow up to determine if the body is that of the missing person.

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7/5/13

An African-American male robbed the Little Caesars Pizza on 1737 W. Orangethorpe Ave. at gunpoint.

He walked into the restaurant wielding a hand gun, grabbed an employee by the neck, and demanded another employee retrieve money from the register and safe.  After obtaining the money, he fled northbound on foot.

Officers are monitoring surveillance tapes to find the perpetrator and are still making headway on the case, officials say.

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7/4/13

The firework show at Fullerton High School went off without issue but officers on patrol were busy with upwards of 140 firework calls.  Officers also had to respond to a house theft call in which approximately $100,000 worth of jewelry was reported stolen.

A resident threw a party at his home on the 1400 block of Dana Place and temporarily left his house unattended only to return to a ransacked master bedroom.  Officers are still working on the case and would greatly appreciate any assistance via the tip line.

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7/3/13

At around 3:15 PM, Wednesday afternoon, Officers responded to a report of a possible stabbing in the 600 block of west Rosslynn Ave.  Three gang members were visiting an associate in their residence whereupon a fight broke out.

The victim was reportedly stabbed with a pair of scissors and fled to an unknown location.  Local hospitals were alerted and the Gang Unit is handling the investigation.

Any information regarding the altercation is greatly welcomed and can be left at the anonymous tip line here: Send An Anonymous Tip.

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Grandmother confronts man, protects 6-year-old

4/29/13

In an effort to protect her 6-year-old granddaughter, a grandmother confronted then pushed a man Sunday night who had forced himself into a bathroom, police said.

The incident occurred at a business in the 1800 block of Orangethorpe Avenue. The suspect fled, police said.

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‘Huffing’ driver crash into a pole

4/29/13

A man who police say was “huffing” while driving Saturday night ran off the roadway and crashed into a tree and fence.

Police arrested Christoper Jocson, 28, on suspicion of driving under the influence following the collision at Parks and Bastanchury.

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Man hit in head with led pipe

 4/29/13

A homeless man was taken to the hospital with head injuries Sunday after being hit in the head with a led pipe, police said.

Officers found the man lying in bushes in the 1600 block of Commonwealth Avenue. The man told police he had been assaulted by another homeless man.

In a separate incident Saturday, an argument between two homeless women over a towel ended when one of the women armed herself with a knife and slashed the other woman twice in the back. The woman suffered very minor injuries. The suspect is described as female, Hispanic, about 40 years old, 5-feet-4 inches tall, 120 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.

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Briefs: Sunny Hills High students robbed at knife point

 4/24/13

Two Sunny Hills High School students were robbed Tuesday afternoon at knifepoint in a greenbelt near the school, police said.

The suspects stole their cell phones, then ran away. They were last seen running toward homes in Amerige Heights.

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Two arrested after family dispute turns violent

 4/24/13

Police arrested two people Tuesday afternoon after they allegedly attacked each other and later, one of them allegedly assaulted a responding police officer, officials said.

One family member had armed himself with a golf club, and the other had a stick, police said. The dispute occurred at a home in the 100 block of East Valencia.

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Police arrest alleged squatter on suspicion of burglary

4/24/13

A man who claimed he called 911 because his home was being burglarized was arrested on suspicion of burglary himself after officers determined he had been squatting while the owners were away, police said.

Police arrived at the home around 6:30 a.m. Sunday after a disconnected 911 call. Jason Kim told officers he had placed the call because someone had broken in. The home in the 1800 block of Avenida San Lorenzo, had already been burglarized once before.

Police contacted the owners, who said they didn’t know Kim. And when officers searched him, he had the owner’s wallet on him.

He was arrested on suspicion of residential burglary.

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Baby admitted to hospital

4/24/13

A four-month-old baby girl was hospitalized Sunday with a hemorrhage to the right side of the eye and other symptoms after her parents reported an allergic reaction, police said.

Social Services called the police department, and officers interviewed the family at the hospital.

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Briefs: Man allegedly shoves 78-year-old grandmother

4/15/13

Police arrested a gang member on suspicion of elder abuse Tuesday morning after he allegedly shoved his 78-year-old grandmother.

Arrested on suspicion of elder abuse was Joshua “Dizzy” Garcia, 31. His grandmother was not seriously injured.

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Briefs: Police help homeless woman secure belongings

Police and city officials helped a homeless woman store her belongings after a business owner complained about her Monday morning.

The woman had parked 16 shopping carts behind the business in the 500 block of West Commonwealth Avenue. Cpl. John “JD” DeCaprio made arrangements with city officials and employees of MG Disposal, to have her belongings delivered and stored. City officials loaded the woman’s belongings for her and provided a receipt and instructions on how to reclaim her stuff.

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Briefs: Frat members help nab a drunk driver

4/12/13 

They may have a reputation for hard partying, but last week members of a Cal State Fullerton fraternity helped police arrest a woman who was allegedly partying too hard.

The woman crashed her Volkswagen Jetta into a fence in front of the frat house in the 1900 block of State College Boulevard Thursday at about 1:30 p.m.

“When fraternity residents saw that she appeared extremely disoriented or drunk, and had a small child in the car, they confronted her and we were called,” the watch commander wrote. Cal State Fullerton police arrested her on suspicion of DUI and child endangerment, and a Fullerton police officer took the three-year-old girl to the police station until her father picked her up.

“This was a great example of community partnership by members of the fraternity, Cal State Fullerton police and our officers,” said Sgt. Jeff Stuart.

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Briefs: Fleeing bicyclist arrested, property returned

4/12/13 

Two officers arrested a man Friday morning on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine, burglary tools, counterfeit money and prescription medication after a short foot pursuit.

Police also returned some of the stolen property to an Anaheim resident who had been burglarized.

“This was a great arrest and follow up investigation by both officers,” Stuart said.