Briefly In Public Safety

Dead dog found in floating fridge

In an apparent case of a burial at sea, a small refrigerator was taken ashore at Aliso Beach at 3:06 p.m. July 22, after lifeguards saw a white object floating 300 yards offshore, Lt. Jason Kravetz said. A dumbbell had been tied to it, apparently to weigh it down. A lifeguard untied the weight and swam the refrigerator ashore.

The refrigerator was duct-taped shut, and when police opened it a dead dog was found inside, wrapped in a blanket. The dog’s body was examined by a veterinarian who determined it had died of natural causes. There were no tags or other means of identifying the dog or owner.

Woman accused of dining and dashing

A 47-year-old homeless woman was arrested at noon July 22 on suspicion of burglary after she allegedly walked out of a restaurant without paying for food she had ordered, Kravetz said.

The incident occurred at El Callejon, 480 S. Coast Hwy.

Kimberly Simonson was accused of purchasing $11.31 worth of food, then leaving without paying. Restaurant employees said they were on the alert because of an incident two weeks earlier, when the same woman allegedly “dined and dashed” after ordering $30 worth of food.

In the second incident, employees watched Simonson after the food was placed on the table. She got up to use the bathroom, then allegedly exited out a back door. Employees detained her and called police. Simonson was charged with burglary after officers determined she had entered the restaurant intending to steal food.

Undercover sting nets GHB suspect

A San Diego man was arrested on suspicion of selling GHB to Laguna Beach undercover detectives working in Dana Point at 3:41 p.m. July 22, Kravetz said.

The arrestee is identified as Jeffrey Robert Guilford, 28, who was held on $100,000 bail, according to police records.

Laptop device leads to suspect’s arrest

A tracking device led to the arrest of a 40-year-old Laguna Beach man at 2:29 p.m. July 23 on suspicion of burglarizing a home in the 600 block of Glenneyre Street, Kravetz said.

Geoffrey Kennedy Stepien allegedly stole $3,300 worth of belongings, including a laptop, six watches, and a surfboard on June 29. The laptop had a tracking device, which police used to locate the suspect, who was living in a garage in the 1000 block of North Coast Highway. Stepien was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property.

Woman at bus depot held on warrants

A homeless woman was arrested on warrants after police were called to respond to a report of a drunk and belligerent female at the bus depot in the 300 block of Broadway at 10:35 p.m. July 23, Kravetz said.

Anne Worth, 51, was taken into custody after police found three outstanding misdemeanor warrants for her arrest: two $15,000 warrants for contempt of court and one $1,500 warrant for a trespassing charge.

Home burgled during open house

A real estate agent reported that her wallet was stolen during an open house in the 31000 block of Circle Drive at 1:35 p.m. Sunday, Kravetz said.

The agent had placed her purse in a cabinet, and told police a group of three people came inside and rummaged through it, taking a wallet with $45 in cash. After they left, she tried to stop them, but they drove off.

Citizen tip leads to cocaine arrest

A 35-year-old Mission Viejo man was arrested after police allegedly found cocaine in his vehicle at Myrtle Street and Monterey Drive at 8:04 p.m. Monday, Kravetz said.

“A citizen called and reported possible drug activity in the 500 block of Monterey Street,” Kravetz said. “The caller said that a man was inside a parked Nissan Frontier and appeared to be snorting cocaine.”

After police arrived, Jason Tyler Scott was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. Scott was held on $20,000 bail, according to police records.

Undercover officer nets two in drug sales

Two men were arrested on suspicion of selling prescription pills to an undercover officer at a motel in the 900 block of North Coast Highway at 4:49 p.m. Tuesday, Kravetz said.

Harold Krach, 42, of Irvine and William Allen White, 46, of Costa Mesa allegedly met the officer at the location to sell him drugs, Kravetz said.