La Mirada Crime Notes Sept 26,19

La Mirada-
A man who fled from a deputy patrolling the area near Gardenhill Park avoided arrest early Tuesday morning after fleeing through the park on a bicycle and disappearing into the rear yard of a nearby home.

At about 1:15 a.m. a man described only as a White Male riding a bike near Biola Av and Tacuba Dr. refused to yield and instead chose to flee south on Heflin Dr from Ragan Dr., then west to Gardenhill Park. 

The deputy lost sight of the man after turing into the darkened park.

Moments later dispatchers at Norwalk Sheriff's Station received a 911 call from an alert citizen a block west of the park stating a suspicious man had just dumped a bicycle on the front yard of a neighboring home in the 13200 block of Fleta Dr. just off Valeda Dr. and ran into the rear yard of the home where he could be seen hiding.

The man was able to avoid arrest after deputies were unable to deploy a heat-seeking search device that helicopters are equipped with and lacking a sufficient number of patrol deputies available to conduct a timely ground search.

(It should be noted with appreciation the two officers from Biola Campus Safety that were on hand to help shorthanded deputies with perimeter containment  Many in the public may not be aware that Biola officers have on-duty peace officer powers and are very well trained and led by a renowned Chief, John Ojeisekhoaba who is recognized as a leader in his field by his peers at the national level.)

Burglary rates skyrocket over the summer

Just about the time, the above incident was concluding, Sheriff's Communications Center received a call from an alarm company that a break-in signal had been received from a business on Knott Ave.  The break-in was verified by responding deputies.

The only thing really noteworthy about this break-in is the timing of the two events shows clearly what deputies are up against. The cover of darkness and very few watchful eyes are an invitation to thieves 

Thefts from unlocked vehicles have been an issue for a year or more and now a huge jump in burglaries was observed this summer versus last. The biggest increases were to homes and garages.

Several local residents expressed concerns about feeling unsafe in their homes in mid-August after residents had reported coming home and finding intruders inside their homes four days apart.

The description of the suspects that were seen fleeing as the resident walked up to the door of the home in the 15200 block of Tricia Lane on August 12 closely resemble the suspects that ended up leading a deputy in a short vehicle pursuit down Imperial Hwy.

The suspects with a good head start lost the pursuing deputy in heavy traffic after they were spotted fleeing the area shortly after the August 16 break-in was interrupted near Oxford Dr and Imperial Hwy.
In 2019 as of August 31, there had been 101 burglaries from 80 during the same period in 2018, a 26% increase.   In the month of August 2019, there were 32 an increase from 17 reported in 2018. 

In recent years criminals perhaps leery of having a strike attached to them that comes with a residential burglary conviction only committed no more than a handful a month. With more than two dozen report in the past three months, those days are over. 

Update from the reported security breach at Granada School

On Tuesday morning we reported on Facebook that deputies had detained a man near Granada Middle School at Stamy Rd. and Lemon Dr after he was observed talking to students on campus. 

The initial 911 caller reported he jumped over the fence, but it is believed he may have used the pedestrian gate between Scott Ave and Granada schools, a statement supported by the fact he was riding a bike.

A Sheriff's official from Norwalk Station said after further investigation that the man was determined to not have made any threats or hold any ill intentions or perceived to be a danger towards the school.  The man was placed under arrest for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

It's not known if school officials had begun or ever intended to place the camps never in lockdown mode because the man had been quickly detained by several deputies in less than two minutes after the call was received.