It is warming up and summer time is around the corner. During these hot months, we have a tendency to leave our vehicle windows down and our residence windows unlocked and open. Criminals are aware of that and use these summer months as an opportunity to commit crimes. Please be aware and lock your vehicles and residence.
We have exciting events such as the Pancake Breakfast, Devonshire PALS Golf Tournament and LAPD Celebrity Golf Tournament coming up. The Pancake Breakfast is on May 10, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Devonshire Park, located across the street from Devonshire Station. Please join us and allow our officers to serve you breakfast! The Celebrity Golf Tournament will be held on May 17, 2008, at Rancho Park Golf Course and the PALS Golf Tournament will be held on July 14, 2008. Both of these events are fundraisers to help officers, community members, friends and family to enjoy a great day of camaraderie and golfing. Don't forget to mark your calendars.
Basic Car Area 17A23
Senior Lead Officer Dan DelValle Cell Phone: 818-634-0362
27677@lapd.lacity.org
SLO Supervisor, Sergeant Torres, 818-363-1726
"I believe that to have a friend a man must be one.
That all men are created equal
and that everyone has within himself
the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there
but that every man
must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared
physically, mentally, and morally
to fight when necessary
for that which is right.
That a man should make the most
of what equipment he has.
That 'This government,
of the people, by the people
and for the people'
shall live always.
That men should live by
the rule of what is best
for the greatest number.
That sooner or later...
somewhere...somehow...
we must settle with the world
and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth,
and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man."
The Lone Rangerfriend,
Blast from My Past….
I thought I would share an incident that occurred while I was working patrol many years ago. I responded to a radio call of narcotics activity, suspects possibly still in the area selling drugs. Upon our arrival, we searched the area but discovered the suspects were Gone on Arrival (GOA). I requested to meet with the Person Reporting (PR) to obtain more information. Many times when officers request to meet PR's, they are unwilling to meet for fear that they might get too involved. To my surprise, a 75-year-old gentleman who was just the nicest person, yet full of vigor met me. The PR was excited to meet and really wanted to give us 'the low down' to what was going on in his neighborhood. After gathering all the information, I noticed he had a picture of The Lone Ranger with the Lone Ranger Creed on his wall. As a kid, I was a huge fan of The Lone Ranger and truly respected all that he stood for. I stood and read the Ranger's Creed to myself and then thanked him for his information on the narcotic suspects. The PR replied, "No, Thank you. I feel we all have a hand in our community and I'm just trying to do my part and help when I can. It's important to do what's best for everyone." It was then I realized the PR lived by the Lone Ranger Creed. The information provided was great and we made arrests that stopped the drug dealing in his neighborhood. To this day The Lone Ranger Creed is still on display in my home. Thank you Mr. PR!
Commendable Calls….
I really want to thank you all for the in-coming calls to our communications operators and myself of suspicious activity. This last month, we received numerous calls from providing great information, in some cases resulted in immediate arrests. Recently, our dispatch received a call from a true die hard that has been active with our department for many years by the name of 'R.J.' R.J. observed an act of vandalism/graffiti, called our communications, and monitored the suspects from a safe distance. R.J. was able to direct police officers and locate the suspects, which led to their arrest. GREAT JOB!!! Photos were taken of the graffiti and will be filed in our library of Graffiti/Tagging with Officer Scott Anderson for future reference. This is a prime example of working together.
We had another incident worth mentioning of an attempt kidnap. The intended victim was a 15 year old female on her way to school in the area of Devonshire Street and Variel Avenue. The suspect approached the victim from his vehicle and tried to coax her into his vehicle. The victim in fear ran from the suspect. The suspect gave chase and caught the victim, but she was able to break free from the suspect. A witness wrote down the suspect's license plate. The suspect then fled the scene as the witness called for police. Devonshire officers and detectives worked together on identifying the suspect and after much follow up investigation, were able to locate and arrest the suspect for attempt kidnap. Outstanding job everyone!!! Please Remember…. I would never want anyone to place him or herself in danger by confronting suspects, that's our job. Being a good witness is often the key with catching criminals and their prosecution.
Events Past and Future- Mark Your Calendars
Devonshire Division held the Semi Annual District Meeting last month at Shepherd of the Hills. The meeting went well and we had guest speakers from our Anti Terrorist Division and Technology Unit. New equipment and police transportation were displayed that our department will be using.
May 3, 2008, the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council will be hosting the 'Chatsworth Day of the Horse' from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Join in and saddle up. Another event is on May 10, 2008, the Chatsworth Food Drive. Please donate non-perishables to the local postal carrier or transport to the Post Office. For more information you can e-mail: info@chatsworthcouncil.org or call (818) 464-3511.
May 10, 2008, The Devonshire S.O.L.I.D. organization will be hosting the 15th Annual "All You Can Eat" Pancake Breakfast. The event runs from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM at the Devonshire Memorial Park located at 10250 Etiwanda Street in front across from the Devonshire Community Police Station. Cost is $5.00 per person. This is a great opportunity to share a meal with the area officers. FREE CHILD ID (digital photo & thumb print)
May 17, 2008, is the 37th Annual LAPD Family Fun Day and Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Rancho Park Golf Course, 10460 W. Pico Blvd in Los Angeles at 9:00AM. Admission is $5.00 per person, under 12 years are FREE. Great Activities and Food, Celebrity autograph seekers are welcome!! For more information call (818) 363-1726.
The Devonshire Town Hall Meeting will be on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at Shepherd of the Hills Church -19700 Rinaldi Street in Porter Ranch at 7:00 PM.
Neighborhood Watch Meeting for Basic Car 17A23 are held generally on the 4th Thursday of each month at St. John Eudes Church located at 9901 Mason Avenue in Chatsworth at 7:00PM. This month of May our Town Hall Meeting supercedes the Basic Car Meeting, so we will NOT HAVE A BASIC CAR MEETING. The next Basic Car Neighborhood Watch Meeting will be on June 26, 2008. Our Chatsworth Neighborhood Council donated a new beautiful USA flag to our basic car. THANK YOU Chatsworth Neighborhood Council for your support and all you do for the community. I hope to see everyone at the next meeting and please bring a friend.
Crime trends and Crime Prevention Tips
Our area is doing well, and overall crime is down on the West Side of the division. Please continue to report suspicious activity and keep valuables out of plain view. I also want to thank those that started new Neighborhood Watch Groups- Thank you and keep up the good work.
Please e-mail me with your concerns or requests for Block Club meetings at 27677@lapd.lacity.org.
Basic Car Area 17A27
Senior Lead Officer Dario Del Core Cell Phone: 818-634-0577
27286@lapd.lacity.org
SLO Supervisor, Sergeant Torres, 818-363-1726
The basic car area is doing well with no clusters for any of the crime categories. We had three street robberies for this most recent 4-week period. No one was injured and it seems they were mostly crimes of opportunity. Grand Theft Autos are down and even though we had 20 Burglary Theft from Motor Vehicles they are all well scattered through the basic car area.
There is an increased concern regarding vacant, abandoned and foreclosed homes. We are seeing an increase of thefts and vandalism concerning these types of properties. Suspects are vandalizing the homes, using them as crash pads and stealing appliances and building materials. Please keep an eye on the vacant homes in your neighborhood and phone any suspicious activities to LAPD direct dispatch at 1-877-275-5273.
And for business owners and operators…please empty out your cash registers at night and don't leave them out in plain view. Consider having a sign on the window/door at night stating that there is no money in the store/register. We are seeing a trend of commercial burglaries occurring late at night where cash registers are being targeted specifically.
Remain alert and report all prowlers and suspicious activities. And if you should be so unfortunate to become a victim of a crime, make sure you document the incident with the police by filing a crime report. In most cases, the report can be made by coming to the Devonshire Station, which is open 24 hours. In case an at-scene investigation is required, you will need to call our dispatch center and wait for a unit to respond. Together we can make a difference.
****BASIC CAR 17A27 CRIME UPDATE 2/25/2008- 03/21/2008****
ASSAULT WITH DEADLY WEAPONS - 0
ROBBERIES - 3
A street robbery occurred on 03/18/08 at 5 AM in the vicinity of Rinaldi St. and Amigo Ave. in RD 1713. Suspects approached victim and demanded her property. Victim in fear complied. No weapons or bodily force used. Suspects 2 M/African-American 16/20 years.
A street robbery occurred on 03/13/08 at 6:45 PM in the 16700 block of Tribune in RD 1728. Suspects approached victim, displayed a handgun and demanded his wallet. Victim in fear complied. No injuries. Suspects described as a Male Hispanic and a Male African American 20/25 years old. Vehicle described as a 95-98 white Ford F150 truck.
A street robbery occurred on 03/08/08 at 10:30 PM in the vicinity of Rinaldi St. and Porter Valley Dr. in RD 1701. Suspects approached victim and demanded money. Suspects said they had a gun. Property taken wallet and cell phone. Suspects 2 M/Hispanic 15/20 years. No vehicle seen.
RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES - 14
03/17 RD 1706 12400 Cascade Canyon – smashed window- jewelry/electronics
03/17 RD 1706 12400 Cascade Canyon – smashed window- attempt only
03/15 RD 1715 11600 Babbit- open door – electronics taken
03/14 RD 1728 16700 Ludlow- cut glass – camera taken
03/07 RD 1703 12000 Dunblane- smashed door – camera/jewelry taken
March 7 - RD 1704 18100 Colchester- hot prowl burglary occurred at 2:40 p.m. Suspect knocked at the front door several times. Resident was home but chose not to answer. Suspects went to the backyard and smashed a window. Suspects entered the residence but, after realizing the resident was home, they quickly ran out. Two male Hispanic or White, 20/25 years, and a female White, 20/25 years. SUSPECTS VEHICLE- BLACK, HONDA OR TOYOTA, 4 DOOR, FIRST DIGIT ON LICENSE PLATE IS "A"
03/05 RD 1728 16800 Horace- unlocked door – camera/laptop taken
03/05 RD 1728 16800 Horace- forced door – camera taken
03/03 RD 1713 11300 Baird- pried window – electronics/jewelry taken
03/03 RD 1715 17000 Lorillard- smashed door – electronics taken
02/29 RD 1713 18800 Brasilia- Attempt only – no prop taken
02/29 RD 1705 17000 Lisette- open garage door – tools taken
02/29 RD 1713 11500 Yolanda- open window – electronics/money taken
02/28 RD 1728 11200 Petit- smashed window – money/jewelry taken
BURGLARY THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLES - 20
RD 1706 (4); RD 1701 (3), 1702 (3) and 1705 (3); RD 1728 (2) and RD 1704 (1), 1707 (1), 1715 (1), 1716 (1) and 1727 (1).
GRAND THEFT AUTOS - 2
An '04 Honda Civic, taken in RD 1701
A Toyota Tacoma, taken in RD 1727
CRIME PREVENTION INFORMATION - LOUD PARTY PROCEDURE
LAMC 116.01 – prohibits loud noise that disturbs the peace of others- no time limits.
Call LAPD non-emergency line as soon as the party starts…1-877-275-5273. A police unit will be assigned the call.
If the police responds while the party is still going on, they will…
1) Advise the violators to quiet down and issue a loud party warning notice.
2) If within 24 hours of the original response the activity is going on and a second call is generated, a citation may be issued to the homeowner or person in control of the property.
If the police do not make it out on time to see/hear the loud activity a crime report for disturbing the peace may be filed upon request. In this case, the person that generated the call will have to serve as the victim on the crime report, and at some point, may be required to testify. The report can be filed at the location. When calling the non-emergency line, ask the operator to have the Officers contact you by phone or in person. Or it can be filed in person, at anytime, at Devonshire station (evidence such as photos, recordings and corroboration by other neighbors are key elements for a successful resolution).
Other option- Dispute resolution program…non-criminal way to approach the issue. This is a free service offered by the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office; phone number 818-756-9601.
NEXT MEETING INFORMATION
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi Street in Porter Ranch. This is a Town Hall meeting and will take the place of our regular neighborhood watch meeting.
Basic Car Area 17A45
Senior Lead Officer Ken Cioffi Cell Phone: 818-634-0480
26289@lapd.lacity.org
SLO Supervisor, Sergeant Torres, 818-363-1726
BURGLARY THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
A Burglary Theft from Motor Vehicles (BTFMV) is when the suspect enters your LOCKED vehicle and removes property. A Theft from Motor Vehicle (TFMV) is when the theft takes place from your UNLOCKED vehicle.
The community should be aware of these thefts and think in terms of reducing the likelihood of becoming a victim. Since these types of thefts occur when your car is parked unattended, it is difficult to be completely immune. If all of us can think in terms of prevention, we can reduce the chance of experiencing this type of incident. There has been an increase in BTFMV on Zelzah Avenue between Lassen Street and Plummer Street.
The majority of the vehicles that are being broken into are parked on the street. This is why we always seem to have BTFMV problems where there is a majority of apartment complexes with street parking only.
REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING SAFETY TIPS:
Lock your car. Don't make yourself a tempting and easy target.
Don't leave your cell phone in your car, or other items of value, even if hidden. Thieves break into cars, looking for items, hidden or not.
Park in well-lit areas whenever possible.
Record the serial numbers on your property. If it is stolen, this will help us get it back.
Mark your property with your driver's license number.
Check into the possibility of installing a "kill switch" on your car to prevent it from being stolen.
Become active in your Neighborhood Watch Program in your area.
Report suspicious persons to the police.
May's Basic Car meeting is a Town Hall meeting at Shepherd of the Hills Church located at 19700 Rinaldi Street on May 28, 2008, at 7:00 P.M.
Our next regular Basic Car meeting will be on June 12, 2008, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church located at 17037 Plummer Street at 7:00 PM. We are hoping to have Councilman Greig Smith as are guest speaker.
Basic Car Area 17A55
Senior Lead Officer Kathy Bennett Cell Phone: 818-634-0495
27437@lapd.lacity.org
SLO Supervisor, Sergeant Torres, 818-363-1726
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Every year I talk about the fact that in the summertime there is an increase in residential burglaries. Part of the reason for the increase is the homeowners go on vacation and are out of their homes for extended periods of time. Here are some tips to help prevent you from becoming a crime statistic.
• Have good locks on all doors and windows, and USE THEM!
• If you have an alarm system use it!
• If you can afford a surveillance camera system, get the best quality you can afford – and
use it!
• Engrave your valuables with your driver's license number.
• Never leave your house key hidden outside under a doormat, in a flower pot, or on the
edge of a door. If you've thought of a "secret" place to leave a key, a burglar will
think of it too.
• Make your house appear "lived in." Use timers for lights and radios. Have a neighbor
or a friend pick up mail, packages and newspapers, and keep the lawns mowed and
watered.
• Leave your trip plans and an emergency phone number with trusted neighbors or
friends.
CRIME UPDATE
Earlier this year, I set a goal of increasing our E-Policing subscribers by 100 people. I am thrilled to announce we have achieved and exceeded our goal with a grand total of 401 subscribers (as I write this). Basic Car members and E-policing subscribers, I give you a most heartfelt thank you for a job well done!
If you haven't signed up for E-policing at www.lapdonline.org, please do so. I can send you timely crime updates as necessary via e-mail. Also on www.lapdonline.org, you can access current crime maps for your neighborhood.
The Basic Car is struggling with scattered daytime burglaries. No one particular area is being hit. Thieves are mostly targeting items easy to conceal and carry – in particular high dollar jewelry. If you've got expensive jewelry, consider using a safe deposit box at your bank or invest in a substantial home safe – one that can't be carried. In this type of situation, it is critical that you are aware of strangers in your neighborhood. If you see something suspicious, don't confront the person. Call us instead at the non-emergency number (877) 275-5273. If you see a crime in progress (someone you don't know crawling through a neighbor's window or going into their backyard) you can call 9-1-1.
MAY BASIC CAR MEETING
THERE WON'T BE A BASIC CAR MEETING THIS MONTH. INSTEAD, PLEASE ATTEND OUR TOWN HALL MEETING – YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT! HERE'S THE INFO:
Topic: Identity Theft
Date: May 28, 2008
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Shepherd of the Hills Church
Address: 19700 Rinaldi Street
Hope to see you there!
Basic Car Area 17A83
Senior Lead Officer Sue Herold Cell Phone: 818-634-0579
24732@lapd.lacity.org
SLO Supervisor, Sergeant Torres, 818-363-1726
Events Past and Future
Our March meeting was very informative. We learned what is in the mind of a Residential Burglar before, during, and after he breaks into a home as well as how and why he does it! Detective Tim Brausum interviewed this convicted Burglar and drug addict at a local penitentiary and the video we watched was very telling. He is a drug addict and doesn't much care what he steals nor from who just as long as he can trade it for drugs. He suggested that dogs, alarms and Neighborhood Watch signs are big deterrents that will cause him to chose an easier, less prepared target. He is not the first burglar to say these very same things. Harden his target and secure your homes and vehicles and off our streets!
There will be no May meeting as the Town Hall meeting May 28th at Shepherd of the Hills on Rinaldi west of Tampa Avenue. Please mark this date on your calendars, as there is always outstanding information disseminated at these Division-wide events.
Neighborhood Watch meetings for Basic Car 17A83 are on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at our location of LAPD's Valley Communications Dispatch Center on the northwest corner of Roscoe Boulevard at Lena Avenue (west of Fallbrook Avenue across the street from the Fire Station.) The 911 Center is next to the building previously occupied by DeVry University and our meetings begin promptly at 7:00 PM unless otherwise announced. Our next meeting will be at that location on June 11th 2008.
Crime Trends Last Month Identity theft is the fastest growing crime across America and we are not exempt from this trend. There is no specific location here in 17A83 where it is prevalent and it is very difficult to see it coming. Lockable mailboxes are a great way to protect incoming mail. I know it may seem that no one would reach right into your mailbox and take your mail but be very certain they have in the past and will continue to do just that in the future. Outgoing mail is equally vulnerable and should be deposited directly into the receptacles provided at the Post Office itself.
I'm sure you all have noticed an increase in the amount of graffiti. This is a problem citywide and it is becoming increasingly more costly to paint it out. West Valley Alliance is doing a great job of getting rid of it but it's time we all take a bit more involvement in helping them out. Should your home or business be victimized by graffiti it is the owner's responsibility to paint it out. West Valley Alliance has their hands very full with the City property. You may have neighbors who are able to help hand paint out graffiti. Kindness is contagious and develops a community bond! Let's all get involved!
Crime Prevention Tips
Leave your social security card, large amounts of cash and numerous credit cards at home or in some other safe place. There is no need to have these items with you unless you are using them that very day. Should you find yourself the victim of identity theft, it is very difficult to report these credit cards and social security cards to the appropriate companies hence recovery of your "identity" is more time consuming and more difficult. Check into a program that monitors your credit reports and keeps you advised of activities on your report. The sooner you're aware of illegal activity the easier it is to fix the problem!
Please tell all your friends and neighbors or show them this newsletter!
Please e-mail me with your concerns or requests for Block Club meetings at 24732@lapd.lacity.org
valley bureau 
