Crime & Safety

The Week's Police Calls: Scofflaw Fruit Vendors & A Masked Dumpster Diver

Notable events from the Los Altos Police log, June 15 to 21, and some rather-not-notable, but still worth telling.

 

The police log goes Friday through Thursday, June 15 to 21. Any arrest that may be mentioned is simply an arrest; it is not the same as a conviction. Patch, will, on occasion, include reports from Los Altos Fire when they are small incidents that are not individually reported in a separate article. 

The week’s report started with a couple of citations on enterprising fruit vendors who saw the wide spots on our shady roads were perfect places to sell their wares.

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

The first vendor was cited on a municipal code violation for selling strawberries was at Springer and Cuesta avenues on Friday, June 15. The second was cited on Saturday, June 16, while selling luscious-looking mangoes from an impromptu stand set up on Fremont Avenue near Fallen Leaf Lane.

That same morning a driver was cited on El Camino Real and Clark Avenue for driving while his license was suspended. The driver was cited to appear and released. The vehicle had to be picked up by a licensed driver.

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

On Sunday, June 17 and Monday June 18, there were three reports of small thefts and burglaries.  On Sunday, someone reported at 5:47 p.m., the theft of license plates in the Los Altos Square condominium complex, which happened some time earlier. Shortly before 9 p.m. that night an individual reported a burglary from his or her car parked at 4546 El Camino Real, that occurred some time earlier, as well. And shortly after midnight, on the 800 block of Jordan Avenue, police caught someone stealing recyclables . The police sergeant reprimanded and released the individual.

With Monday, June 18, came two more traffic stops that revealed suspended licenses (note to drivers whose license are suspended but who are still driving, anyway: Stop doing things that cause police to stop you. They wouldn’t know if you didn’t give them a reason to ask to see your license.) But we digress … The first came on the Foothill Expressway at Interstate 280 at 7:59 a.m. The second was stopped at 4:16 p.m. at South El Monte and University avenues. Both drivers were from San Jose, and both had to find other drivers to pick up them and their cars.

At 11:43 a.m., an individual walked into the police station to report a case of identity theft. Someone had somehow obtained personal information and attempted to take out a credit card in the reporting party’s name, but the card company contacted the customer and thwarted the plan. Police took a report. … At 1:53 p.m., a cabbie called police via 911 because he was having a dispute with a fare that he brought to Bridgepoint senior residence from San Francisco International Airport, who was refusing to pay. A disturbance ensued. The rider told police had been planning to take a van shuttle to Los Altos but when the cab drove up and the cabbie quoted him an estimate that sounded reasonable, he took the cab instead, then was hit with sticker shock. Sgt. Cameron Shearer said he helped mediate a resolution by which the rider paid a portion of the meter price. A resident on the 500 block of Distel Drive reported a burglary that occurred some time between the hours that the resident had left in the morning and returned late in the afternoon. The burglar or burglars entered through a bathroom window and took an undermined amount of electronics and jewelry

On Tuesday,  June 19, the day started and continued on through the afternoon with a series of traffic collisions all around town. At 8:52 a.m. there was a collision on Rosita Avenue and Parma Way, but no injuries. At 9:26 a.m. there was a collision across town at Foothill Expressway and Homestead Road. At 9:30 a.m., another collision, this time at Fremont and Dolores avenues, and finally at 4:30 p.m., there was a hit and run collision at Homestead and Grant roads. … There was a burglary reported shortly before 11 p.m. on Farm Road, although the event had apparently taken place some time earlier and no report was taken by police. 

On Wednesday, June 20, there was a fatal accident on San Antonio Road near Loucks Avenue.  A 81-year-old woman was struck as a car exited the Arco gas station. She  sustained major injuries from which she succumbed at Stanford Medical Center. She was identified as Soraya Imam, a resident of Los Altos. The driver, also a Los Altan, was not cited, and the accident is under investigation. Police Sgt. Paul Arguelles has asked for any witnesses to assist by calling (650) 947-2663 or the Los Altos Police Department at 650-947-2770 … ... One case of a suspicious person was simply a suspicious assumption. At 7:16 p.m., persons were observed entering a backyard on the 300 block of Alvarado Avenue. When police arrived they determined the individuals were tile-setters on the jobsite.  There was also a road rage incident reported at 3:04 p.m. at San Antonio Road and Loucks Avenue, which was followed by a battery report made by almost 20 minutes later at 3:23 p.m. on the 4700 block of El Camino Real. The reporting party told police he was involved in a road rage incident with another adult male, who spat on him. The incident is under investigation. ... At nearly 9 p.m., Los Altos Fire Department responded to a small fire at a residence on Hillview Avenue. Bookshelves caught fire, causing about $25,000 in damage. The cause was believed to be a old lithium ion charger for a toy helicopter that had not been used in years. … In the wee hours of the morning, a worried resident called in a burglary in progress on the 600 block of Leaf Court. Police quickly responding to the 911 call located a raccoon in a dumpster and reported they provided assistance … though it’s not clear whether the resident or the masked critter was the one who was helped.

On Thursday, June 21, there were two cases of suspicious persons or circumstances. 9:32 a.m., June 21, someone reported a suspicious person near Grant Park, who eventually left the area. At 10:23 a.m. someone reported a suspicious person at Magdalena Avenue near I-280, which was forwarded to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which handles that jurisdiction. ... The Farmers Market, it appears, still requires some getting used to, and, at an estimated $500-plus in ticket and tow fees, it can be an expensive way to learn. There were two tows made, at 169 State Street at 2:44 p.m., and 140 Third Street, at 2:49 p.m. The areas are usually marked prominently with red and white towaway signs.         


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

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

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