Crime & Safety

This Week from the Los Altos Police Log: March 30-April 5

A reckless hit-and-run driver, family disturbances, a dog bite and more kept the Los Altos Police busy this past week.

 

Just a suggestion – if you want to teach your child how to dial 9-1-1 in the case of an emergency, don’t actually dial 9-1-1 in order to do so, and then right away hang up. The police are going to respond, and you are going to get a stern talking-to.

 

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Friday, March 30 

It seems there were quite a few excited people – and animals -  around Los Altos Friday night. That night, police received a noise complaint coming from a home in the 1900 block of Colleen Drive, around 11:15 p.m. Officers responded to the home and reprimanded the occupants for being too noisy. Less than an hour, a noise complaint was received for a home in the 1600 block of Clay Drive. Again, officers made contact and reprimanded the occupants, advising them to keep the noise down. Unfortunately, this time, the Clay Drive noise-makers did not heed the warning right away. Officers were called again about 90 minutes later, around 1:42 a.m. Police returned to the home and further admonished the occupants. Around 4:30 a.m., a noisy dog was reported in the 1000 block of St. Joseph Avenue. Officers made contact with the owners and admonished them.

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Saturday, March 31 

A call of an unusual nature came in to the police department just before 4 a.m., early Saturday morning. The reporting party said he or she could hear explosions coming from the area of Oak Avenue and Grant Road. However, police conducted a thorough search of the area, which was quiet upon their arrival, and thankfully determined the call was unfounded.

Around 5 a.m. Saturday morning, there was one positive incident – a stolen vehicle was recovered. The vehicle was located in the 1700 block of Miramonte Avenue.

It seems there were a few cranky people around Los Altos on Saturday. That morning, just before 11:00, officers were called to a home in the 1000 block of N. San Antonio Road on a report of a family disturbance. A physical altercation was reportedly taking place between family members, and officers had to step in and help mediate the situation. Less than five minutes later, another disturbance was reported, this time at the Whole Foods at 4800 El Camino Real. Officers responded and helped mediate the situation.

Officers were called to deal with a very dangerous situation Saturday afternoon around 12:30 p.m. A reckless driver was reported in the area of Foothill Expressway and Main Street. The driver was reportedly driving on wrong side of road and tried to make a “J-turn,” but didn’t make it, and slammed into side of a car before speeding off. Minutes later, the Sunnyvale Police Department reported a hit-and-run crash with injuries involving a vehicle that matched the description in the Los Altos incident. Los Altos Police helped initiate a track on the vehicle, and luckily, it worked – the reckless driver was located and promptly arrested.

One lucky person who reported his or her vehicle “lost” just before 4 p.m. on Saturday definitely has a police officer to thank.  When the person had trouble finding her vehicle, he or she called the police and requested help finding it. Officers were kind enough to come out, and helped her locate her vehicle.

Saturday evening, police received a few complaints of solicitors bothering residents around town. The first complaint came in around 6:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Sequoia Way. Officers came out to the home and took information about the solicitor. Less than an hour later, another complaint came in from the 1300 block of Richardson Ave. This time, officers got there in time to find the solicitor. The person was reprimanded for violating city code and released.

Later, around 10:15 p.m., officers made a citation arrest when they stopped a driver found to have a suspended license at El Camino Real and San Antonio Road. The driver’s car was towed and the suspect was ordered to appear in court.

 

Sunday, April 1 

A few drivers were having a little too much fun Sunday afternoon just before 1 p.m. Reports of several reckless drivers in multiple vehicles came in for the 400 block of Cuesta Drive. Officers responded and made contact with several of the drivers. Since no violations were observed by the officers, warnings were given to the drivers and they were sent on their way.

That afternoon, around 2:30 p.m., officers received a report of an animal bite in the 800 block of Laverne Way. Officers took a report, and contacted Animal Services, who ordered the owners to quarantine the dog at home for the time being.

One person got a bit of a scare Sunday evening around 6 p.m. when he or she interrupted someone attempting to break in to his or her vehicle. This incident took place in the 700 block of Parma Way. A person was walking out to him or her car and spotted someone attempting to break into it. The owner scared the would-be burglar away before he or she could gain entry into the vehicle. Police took a report when the vehicle owner called 9-1-1 after the suspect fled.

Things got a little more serious around 10 p.m. when officers arrested someone for driving under the influence at Whitney and Second streets. The driver was taken to jail.

 

Monday, April 2 

On Monday around 2:30 p.m., police received a complaint about a dog off-leash in the 1500 block of Holt Avenue. Officers made contact with the owner and gave them a warning.

Around 3 p.m. Monday, officers received a complaint about another solicitor bothering residents in the 1100 block of Russell Avenue. Officers made contact with the solicitor and gave him or her a warning.

Shortly after, officers were conducting a routine traffic stop and discovered their wayward driver was wanted by the county on a felony warrant for narcotics violations. The suspect was immediately arrested.

Late that night, around 11 p.m., police received a report of a dead cat in the roadway in the 900 block of Spencer Way. Animal Control was notified to come and take care of the situation.

 

Tuesday, April 3 

On Tuesday morning at 7:40 a.m., police received a 9-1-1 call and hang-up from a home in the 1200 block of Colonial Oaks Drive. However, when police responded to see if there was an emergency, a sheepish parent was forced to tell them she was just trying to teach her son how to dial 9-1-1 in the case of emergency. In doing so, her son dialed 9-1-1, and then hung up.

Just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, police received a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 700 block of Los Altos Avenue. Officers responded and made contact with the people in the vehicle, who turned out to be workers who had a valid reason for being in the area.

 

Wednesday, April 4

Wednesday appears to have been a relatively quiet day for the Los Altos Police Department, save for one report of a suspicious person in the 4300 block of El Camino Real around 10:19 p.m. Officers responded and made contact with the loitering person. They reprimanded the subject and told him or her to move along.

 

Thursday, April 5 

Police may have thought they had some real excitement on their hands when  at 4546 El Camino Real around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. Apparently, a man walked into Luther Burbank, walked up to a teller at the front counter, displayed a gun and passed the teller a demand note. However, the teller told the would-be robber that, because it was a savings and loan, there was no cash kept up front. The man reportedly got frustrated and simply walked out. Police were called in to take a report once the man was gone.

 

The information in this article was supplied 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.

 


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