BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Council briefed in county reverse 911 system

County officials briefed the council at the Jan. 6 meeting on the emergency alert system.

Councilwoman Toni Iseman requested the briefing. No action was taken or needed. The council committed several months ago to participation in the system, which is being installed and operated by the county, using federal grant funds.

“Orange County has been in charge of the system since the beginning,” said Trara LeBlanc, system manager. “It can be used as regional or as stand-alone.”

In other words, the emergency does not have to affect the whole county. Threats to health, safety or assets of participating communities would quality””including the Bluebird pump station spill in October, LeBlanc said.

All but two of the cities in Orange County have agreed to participate in the basis system, at no charge to them. However, if a city wanted to use the system for non-emergency events, it would cost $25,000 a year.

No vote was taken on the non-emergency use.

Credit card scam used for vacation

A Laguna Beach resident on Katella Street reported at 3:57 p.m. Jan. 7 that an unknown suspect opened up a Visa credit card account at Bloomingdale’s under the victim’s name, according to Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz. The suspect had the card sent to an address in Chicago, then charged $17,000 worth of items on a vacation in Paris and London.

Man arrested in home break-in

An El Monte man was arrested on suspicion of breaking into a home in the 100 block of High Drive on Jan. 8, Kravetz said. The resident fled the home and called police after noticing that a front window was broken, and then seeing a man in the home at 10:49 a.m. Police searched the home, but the suspect had left.

There was fresh blood on the carpet, which indicated the suspect had cut himself while breaking the window to gain entry. Nothing was missing from the house. The suspect was believed to be a homeless man, and had a bedroll, according to police records.

At 1:50 p.m., officers at Heisler Park observed a man with a fresh cut on his hand and blood on his clothing. He was later identified by the victim as being the burglar.

Michael Todd White, 43, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism and forced entry into a residence.

Boy accused of backpack theft from shop

A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of stealing a backpack from a coffee shop in the 1400 block of South Coast Highway on Jan. 8, Kravetz said.

The victim told police at 9:16 p.m. that his backpack had been stolen from the patio area when he went inside to do something. Inside the backpack was $3,000 worth of items “” a camera, camera lens, two computer hard drives and other equipment.

Officer Mike Short identified a suspect from store video surveillance and went to the suspect’s home, where the officer allegedly retrieved all the stolen property and detained the juvenile for grand theft and concealing stolen property.

Medications reported stolen from refrigerator

More than $1,000 worth of prescription medications, including insulin and pain drugs, were reported stolen from an unlocked refrigerator kept outside at a residence in the 30000 block of Monterey Street, Kravetz said. The report was made at 7:48 a.m. Jan. 9.

Cabbie says arrested men didn’t pay fare for ride

Two men were cited at 1:22 a.m. at Glenneyre and Mermaid Streets on suspicion of defrauding a cab driver who picked them up in Laguna Beach, drove them to Santa Ana, and then back to Laguna Beach, Kravetz said.

The men allegedly gave the driver a credit card which could not be processed and had no alternative means of paying him.

Three arrested after entering home to ‘crash’

Two Laguna Beach men and a Dana Point man were arrested at 5:51 a.m. Jan. 10 after a surprised homeowner called police to report a suspect in the home in the 900 block of Temple Terrace, Kravetz said.

The resident fled the home and called 911 to report a male suspect in the kitchen area, Kravetz said.

Police arrived and took up positions around the home. Officers saw three males inside. The officers entered the home and attempted to detain the men, but they fled and tried to hide from the officers. They were eventually taken into custody. One of the men told police he is a friend of the homeowner’s son, and had thought it would be all right to sleep in his room since they were at a local party drinking.