Elderly assaults may be linked An assault...

Elderly assaults may be linked

An assault on an 80-year-old woman in Huntington Harbour last week

is the latest in a string of similar attacks that police say may be

connected.

On Wednesday, June 11 a woman was attacked from behind in her

Huntington Harbour home. She was blindfolded, tied up and robbed of

her purse and jewelry. The house was ransacked. She suffered a slight

scratch to the face.

Police say that it is probable that the assailant entered her

house through an unlocked door.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of people keeping their

doors locked,” said Lt. Dan Johnson of the Huntington Beach Police.

Three elderly women have been accosted and robbed in their homes

in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach since May 23 when a 56-year-old

Lido Isle resident was followed to her residence and attacked. As she

was getting out of the car, a man lunged from the darkness,

overpowered her and demanded her personal possessions. The intruder

struck the victim with a blunt object and fled.

Newport Beach Police responded within minutes and posted

detectives on all exits to Lido Isle, but no suspects were found. The

victim was treated for a gash to the head and released. A similar

incident occurred June 10 when a Dover Shores resident was followed

home and attacked. After the 85-year-old victim pulled into her

garage, a man grabbed her from behind as she was exiting her car and

forced her to the floor. She sustained bruises to the face during a

struggle to remove her personal belongings. The attacker quickly fled

from the scene.

All three attacks have taken place during the day. The boldness of

these robberies has prompted police to advise elderly people to be

cautious.

“Look to see if you are being followed. If you are, drive directly

to the police station. People should also have cell phones to alert

police of anything suspicious,” Johnson said. “If anyone is attacked,

especially the elderly, they should not resist. Possessions are not

worth the possible loss of life.”

City gives parking violators the ‘boot’

Drivers with more than five parking tickets will now pay a price.

The Rhino Vehicle Immobilizer, referred to as the Denver boot,

will be placed on the cars of drivers who have incurred five or more

unpaid parking tickets. The boot is an orange metallic device that is

attached to the tire of a car, making it impossible to drive.

Booted cars will have yellow and orange notices placed on them

describing the process to have the device removed. To get their cars

back, people will have to call the Huntington Beach Police Traffic

Bureau and pay the delinquent citations with cash, money order,

certified check or credit card. An additional fee of $100 will also

be charged. The boot will be removed as soon as all fees are paid.

The number for the traffic bureau is (714) 536-5663 Monday through

Friday during business hours, or (714) 960-8811 after hours.

-- Complied by Evan Marmol