This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Stolen Vehicles and Collisions: Los Altos Police Blotter March 18-24

A case of arson, two stolen vehicles, a flurry of automobile burglaries and at least 10 automobile accidents, including a subsequent fatality, were reported.

An arson case, three arrests, an incidence of grand theft, two stolen vehicles, 10 automobile accidents, including one major injury accident, and a flurry of auto burglaries were among the incidents reported by the Los Altos Police Department for March 18-24.

An electric cart that had been taken from Egan Middle School off West Portola Avenue was set on fire, according to Sgt. Scott Bunch. Bunch said the suspects had apparently taken the vehicle on a "joy ride," and when they were done with it, they'd dumped the cart in a creek near the bike path connecting Los Altos and Palo Alto, he said.  That incident was reported March 19 at 3:13 p.m.

At least three arrests were made during the period. Los Altos police arrested a suspect on a felony warrant on Thursday at about 5 p.m. from an address on Main Street. No other details are available. Another individual was arrested for being drunk in public shortly before dawn on Tuesday. Police arrested a motorist on a  misdemeanor warrant arrest after a traffic stop March 18 on West El Camino Real.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A 2006 Ford 250 pickup was reported stolen from an address on Miraflores Way on Sunday. That vehicle has not been recovered, Bunch said. Another was reported stolen from an address on Carmen Avenue Monday.

Three auto burglaries  were reported March 18 and 19.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The first was reported at 8:27 a.m. on Tyndall Street, when a car window was broken. A backpack with personal items was taken from the vehicle, Bunch said. An hour later, another auto burglary was reported, this time on Cuesta Drive where a GPS unit was taken.

The next day, a car parked on Grant Road was burglarized in the early evening. Again a car window was broken. Someone took the victim's cell phone, purse and other personal items.

A case of grand theft was reported on Wednesday at 11:36 p.m. from a location on University Avenue. No further information was immediately available.

Also on Wednesday, police tried to serve a warrant to an individual at a location near the intersection of Thurston Avenue and Grant Road.

At least 10 automobile accidents were reported during the period, including a major injury accident at the intersection of South El Monte Avenue and Interstate 280 that was referred to the California Highway Patrol. The driver, Mats J. Weltman, a Los Altos resident, . He later died of his injuries at Stanford Hospital, according to the CHP.

There were two accidents within 15 minutes of each other on March 18 at the same location, North San Antonio Road and Almond Avenue. The first, a non-injury accident, occurred at 2:05 p.m. A minor injury accident followed at 2:24 p.m.

Another non-injury accident was reported Wednesday at 6:13 p.m. on El Camino Real, while the next day at 7:56 a.m., a non-injury traffic collision occurred  at the intersection of Grant Road and Waverly Place. Another non-injury accident was reported at Cuesta Drive and Springer Road at 2:05 p.m. the same day.

Other non-injury accidents reported included one on Monday at 1:16 p.m. on Magdalena Avenue, and another the same day at about 3 p.m. at the intersection of Fremont Avenue and "A" Street. 

The locations and dates of some additional incidents are noted on the map that accompanies this report.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.