This Week from the Los Altos Police Log: April 6-12

Perhaps the employees of just aren’t accustomed to being paid with $100 bills, and that’s why they immediately assumed a man who tried to pay with one last week was trying to pass off a counterfeit bill. (I mean, come on – if I have $100 in my pocket, I’m going to go somewhere nicer than Carl’s Jr., but hey, maybe that’s just me!) We have to think it was embarrassing for the employees when the police showed up and told them that the bill was, in fact, real.

In one of the stranger incidents Patch has come across in the local police logs, an out-of-control swarm of bees was reported in the 400 block of Lincoln Avenue on Friday just after 12:30 p.m. Local police contacted a local bee keeper for help.

Around 3 p.m. that afternoon, Los Altos Police received a call from someone on Covington Road to report a possible missing person. Apparently, the person was overdue to show up at the home and the reporting party had become concerned. Luckily, after police responded, the missing person turned up.

That evening, around 7:20 p.m., police received a call of a solicitor bothering residents in the 900 block of Hayman Place. Police responded and located the solicitor, who was reprimanded for violating city code and then released.

The most serious incident on Friday night was when police arrested an individual who was found to be driving under the influence in the area of Covington and Springer roads, around 8 p.m.

Around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a man riding his bicycle in the area of El Camino Real was pulled over by police officers for equipment violations. As police talked with the man, he abruptly got back on his bike and tried to take off, escaping the police. Sgt. Cameron Shearer said the officers followed the man, “corralled” him, and arrested him. He is being charged with evading police officers and resisting arrest.

On Saturday, one unlucky resident of Kent Drive was forced to call the police around 8:30 a.m. when he or she woke up and discovered the home had been toilet papered overnight, which is considered an act of malicious mischief. The resident decided not to make a report after all, but asked the police for advice in the matter.

Another unlucky resident woke up Saturday morning to discover his or her bike had been stolen, which is considered to be grand theft. The police were called, and a report was taken.

An observant citizen called the police Saturday evening around 5:15 when he or she passed by a VTA bus at the side of the road in the 4000 block of El Camino Real, displaying a “HELP” sign. Police responded and made contact with the bus driver, who said there was no emergency – the bus was experiencing mechanical problems and waiting for repairs.

Sunday morning around 8:30 a.m., some residents of St. Joseph Avenue were less than happy about being woken up by noisy construction, and called the police to complain. Officers responded and made contact with the workers, advising them not to start construction so early on Sunday mornings.

Just across town, in the 300 block of Richelieu Court, another noise complaint came in less than 15 minutes later, this time regarding a barking dog. Police responded to the home the barking was coming from and found no one home, so they left a note advising the owners to deal with their dog and its early-morning barking.

Sunday afternoon, one unlucky person was the victim of auto burglary. The person, who was visiting an address on Magdalena Avenue, came out shortly before 12:30 p.m. to find the window of his or her vehicle smashed in, and belongings taken. The police were called, and a report was taken.

Sunday evening came the second instance of dangerous bees the Los Altos Police had to deal with that weekend. A report came in just before 5:30 p.m. from the 1000 block of Fremont Avenue, of a large and active hive in a tree near homes. Police advised the reporting party to call either Animal Control or a local beekeeper to help deal with the unruly hive.

Monday morning, two reports for commercial burglary came in within less than three hours of each other. Two restaurants on State Street opened up Monday morning to discover evidence of attempted burglary – at 205 State St., and at 233 State St. At Rick’s, windows were smashed to gain entry into the business, but the suspects’ attack of the cash register came up dry. At Plates, the suspects were either scared away or found it too difficult to gain entry into the well-secured business. Police are continuing to investigate the two incidents, which they believe may have been committed by the same person or persons.

Later on Monday, just before 11:30 a.m., police received a report of malicious mischief, for graffiti committed at a home in the 1000 block of McKenzie Avenue. A report was taken.

On Monday evening, just before 6 p.m., officers were called to the . at 5000 El Camino Real to mediate a dispute. Apparently, the employees thought a man attempting to pay for his value meal with a $100 bill was trying to pass off a counterfeit bill, so they called the police. Unfortunately for them – or, maybe fortunately, depending on how you look at it – police examined the bill and told the employees that, in fact, the bill was real. At that point, police had only to mediate the embarrassing argument that ensued afterward.

Just after 7 p.m., police received a call from a woman in the parking lot of who had just returned to her car to discover the window had been smashed, and her purse had been stolen. A report for auto burglary was taken.

Tuesday morning, just before 9 a.m., police rushed out to a business in the 300 block of Main Street, because the business’ commercial hold-up alarm had set off. Luckily, though, when police arrived, they found the alarm had accidentally been set off by user error – so, no hostage situation to deal with, thankfully!

Another short-lived missing person situation had a happy ending later that morning just before 9:30, on Shirlynn Court. Someone called the police, concerned that a subject who was supposed to have shown up a while ago had not. Luckily, the missing subject turned up shortly after police responded.

A few others were apparently suffering from a severe case of “the Tuesdays,” as police were called on a case of disturbing the peace just before 11 a.m. in the 800 block of Arroyo Road. A number of people were having a very loud and raucous argument, and the police were forced to step in a mediate.

Two more bicycles were reported stolen on Tuesday. The first was reported from the 4000 block of El Camino Real. Police responded and took a report for petty theft. The second was reported from the 600 block of El Monte Avenue. This bike, much more expensive, was considered grand theft, and a report was taken.

Another complaint of a solicitor bothering residents – this time trying to sell magazine subscriptions – was reported in the 1000 block of Covington Road around 6:30 Tuesday evening. Officers responded and located the subject and admonished, then released, him or her.

Another disturbance was reported Tuesday evening around 9 p.m., this time from the 900 block of San Antonio Road. Family members were reportedly having a very loud verbal argument. Police were called in to mediate between the two parties, who were released. No report was taken.

On Wednesday, police made their first arrest bright and early. Officers caught someone driving with a suspended license in the area of Hillview Avenue and San Antonio Road just before 8:30 a.m. Officers gave the driver a citation arrest and had the vehicle towed away.

Los Altos Police had their first reported case of fraud for the week later that morning around 11:30. A resident of Julie Lane came into the police station to report that he or she had received a bill from a credit card company she had never opened an account with, for charges totaling around $800. Police took a report for fraud, and detectives are looking into the matter.

A more serious arrest was made around 1:30 Wednesday afternoon, when police pulled someone over in the area of Deodara and Arboretum drives – and found him or her to be guilty of a double-whammy. A run of the person’s license found him or her to be driving with a suspended license, and then, after making contact with the subject, officers also determined he or she was under the influence of alcohol. The suspect was arrested and booked into jail, and officers had the vehicle towed.

A happy occurrence was recorded later that afternoon just before 2 p.m. when a person who had been reported missing from the 200 block of Cherry Avenue was found. The case file with the Los Altos Police Department was updated with the happy news.

On Thursday around 2 p.m., a resident of Arboretum Drive came into the police station to report grand theft. Reportedly, someone took $2,000 out of the victim’s Bank of America account. A report was taken, and detectives are currently investigating.

Around 12:30 a.m., a resident of Arbuelo Way reported his or her dog missing. Happily, roughly three hours later around 3:30, the dog was found in the area of Foothill Expressway and Loyola Drive.

The information in this article was provided by the Los Altos Police Department. Where arrests are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

For questions about this police log, contact Los Altos Patch Local Editor L.A. Chung at lachung@patch.com.