More razor blades found in Newport Beach

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- In what seems to be a never-ending series of chilling

discoveries that spring from the sand in local parks and playgrounds,

police found more razor blades in play areas Tuesday and Wednesday.

The most recent findings were made at Newport Harbor Lutheran

Preschool, in the 700 block of Dover Drive, on Tuesday and at Las Arenas

Park, in the 1500 block of West Balboa Boulevard, on Wednesday. No one

was injured, police said.

At the preschool, director Dawn Bent said she found three blades on

top of the sand in the playground. She said somebody must have thrown the

blades over the high walls surrounding the playground.

Bent said her staff always checks the playground before letting the

children out to play.

“There’s nothing more we can do,” she said. “We just have to continue

to do what we’ve been doing all the time.”

At Las Arenas Park, three razor blades were found by a parent on a

playground slide, police said.

Officers are continuing to investigate the incidents that have plagued

Costa Mesa and Newport Beach since March.

In Newport Beach, blades have also been discovered in Bolsa Park and

Marina Park. Glass shards, meanwhile, have also turned up in Newport

Beach parks, such as Cliff Drive Park, Buffalo Hills Park and, as recent

as last week, Muir Beach Circle Park. In Costa Mesa, razor blades were

found in Heller Park, Pinkley Park and Lions Park.

Police are not certain whether the incidents are related, said Newport

Beach Police Lt. Doug Fletcher.

“We’re treating the razor blades and glass shards as one case,” he

said. “But we cannot conclusively tie those incidents together.”

Fletcher said the city will continue to inspect city parks and

playgrounds every day.

Police have received a lot of cooperation from residents who have

reported suspicious incidents, he said.

Residents have also begun to act on the issue. On Tuesday, the Lions

Park Assn. announced plans to begin daily patrols of the park. In April,

a group of residents near Heller Park started collecting money to create

a reward fund to help catch the culprit.

AT A GLANCE

PARK DATE WHAT WAS FOUND

Marina Park March 23 Razor blades

Heller Park March 30 Razor blades

Heller Park April 1 Razor blades

Pinkley Park April 16 Razor blades

Heller Park April 17 Razor blades

Lions Park April 24 Razor blades

Bolsa Park April 25 Razor blades

Cliff Drive Park April 27 Glass shards

Buffalo Hills Park May 2 Glass shards

Buffalo Hills Park May 2 Glass shards

Muir Beach Circle Park May 22 Glass shards

Newport Harbor Lutheran

Preschool May 29 Razor blades

Las Arenas Park May 30 Razor blades

SOURCE: Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police departments