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
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