This week, the Sheriff’s substation in Moss Beach reported an auto burglary, possession of a deadly weapon, theft of a camper shell and two DUI’s.

Click “read more” to see the details.

Nothing much happened this week—a warrant arrest at Gray Whale Cove, three cases of car vandalism, and a public drunk.

Click “read more” to see the complete report.

A stolen car, an aggressive solicitor who turns out to be wanted in Kentucky, vandalism, burglary, drunkenness behind the wheel and on the front porch, and an assault on two men and parrot named Mango add up to another week of Coastside crime.  Both the San Mateo Daily Journal and the Mercury News carried stories about the parrot story last week for reasons that continue to elude me.

Click “read more” to see the Sheriff’s report

It was a bigger than average week for plant-oriented criminality. Six pine trees were topped in Moss Beach and there was a grand theft of plants from a nursery in Pescadero. Three big tractor batteries were stolen in Pescadero and there was a warrant arrest. Plus two DUI’s and two public drunks.

Vandalism 05-2137
04-14-05 @ 1339hrs
Carlos Street, Moss Beach

Deputies were dispatched to Carlos Street on the report of vandalism to several trees located on the victim’s property. The property owner’s son told Deputies that sometime the previous night between 1900hrs and 1330hrs unknown subjects entered his fathers property and “topped” and/or cut at least six Monterey Pine Trees. The reporting party also told Deputies that they will be installing security lighting and surveillance cameras in the area to prevent further incidents.

Theft 05-2151
04-15-05 @ 1149hrs
Pescadero

A local business contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report the theft of batteries. Unknown subjects stole several large batteries from a construction site in Pescadero. The batteries are approximately two to three times larger than a standard car battery and weigh 80-90 lbs. The batteries are specifically made for use on Caterpillar tractors. This case has been referred to the Detective Bureau for follow up investigation.

Drunk in Public 05-2158
04-15-05 @ 2026hrs
Coronado Avenue, El Granada

Deputies were dispatched to the above address regarding a disturbance. The reporting party told Deputies that his ex-girlfriend was inside his vehicle that was parked in his driveway and honking the horn. Deputies contacted the ex-girlfriend, age 43, of Half Moon Bay and found her to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. She was arrested and booked into the county jail to be released when sober.

Warrant Arrest 05-2159
04-15-05 @ 2250hrs
Pigeon Point Road

Sheriff’s Deputies were on routine patrol in the area of Pigeon Point Road. This area has no cellular telephone service, gas stations or pay telephones. Deputies noticed a vehicle that was parked to the side of the roadway and stopped to check the welfare of the occupants. Two people were sleeping in the vehicle. Deputies ran a routine wants and warrants check with county communications. Deputies were advised that one of the occupants had an outstanding felony arrest warrant. The subject, age 45, of Redwood City was placed under arrest and transported to the county jail.

Grand Theft 05-2163
04-15-05 @ 1800hrs
Cabrillo Hwy, Pescadero

Sheriff’s Deputies received information regarding thefts at a local nursery. The problem was an employee was possibly stealing plants from the business and taking the plants to a flea market in Modesto to sell. Deputies kept a close watch on the property waiting for the subjects to strike again. On the above date and time, Deputies stopped the suspect vehicle and contacted the occupants. The driver of the vehicle, age 35, of Pescadero was found to be in possession of approximately 144 plants, valued at an estimated $3000 in the bed of his pick up and claimed to be on his way to Modesto. The owner of the nursery met Deputies at the scene, identified his property and the subject was placed under arrested.

DUI 05-2164
04-15-05 @ 0436hrs
Etheldore Street, Moss Beach

Deputies were advised by county communications of a vehicle that was crossing the double yellow and fog lines while traveling northbound on Hwy one. Deputies caught up to the vehicle and made an investigative stop. The driver, age 26, was found to be driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. He was arrested and transported to the county jail.

DUI 05-2167
04-16-05 @ 0729hrs
2nd Street/Cabrillo Highway, Montara

On the above date and time the Cabrillo Highway was closed in both directions due to an earlier accident. Deputies used flares, and the emergency overhead lights of their patrol vehicles to alert drivers of the detour. While directing the traffic around the accident Deputies noticed a vehicle coming right at them without decreasing their speed. Several hand signals and verbal commands were given to alert the driver to stop. The vehicle drove over the flares and caused the Deputy to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. The vehicle veered to the left and came to a stop. Deputies approached the vehicle and contacted the driver, age 58, of San Francisco. While talking to the driver, Deputies could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath. Field sobriety tests were administered and he was found to be driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, He was placed under arrest and transported to the county jail.

Drunk in Public 05-2206
04-18-05 @ 0729
Airport Street at Los Banos Street

On the above date and time Deputies were dispatched to a local restaurant on the report of an intoxicated subject who was causing a disturbance and harassing patrons of the restaurant. Deputies contacted the subject, age 40 of El Granada and found him to be irate and unable to care for himself. He was placed under arrest and transported to the county jail to be released when sober.

Seven people were injured in a head-on auto collision in Montara/Moss Beach at about 6pm Wednesday night. At least three of the injured are students at Cunha Middle School.

According to the California Highway Patrol,

a Toyota Corolla driven by Desiree Turner, a 38 year-old resident of Moss Beach was stopped on Highway 1 southbound approaching Carlos St. in preparation to make a left hand turn. A Brown Lexus driven by Kristen Shaw, a 45 year-old resident of Half Moon Bay was traveling southbound on SR-1 and failed to see the Toyota as she approached the vehicle from the rear. The Lexus collided into the rear of the Toyota sending the Toyota into the opposing lane of traffic. The front of the Toyota subsequently struck a Mitsubishi Mirage head on. The Mitsubishi Mirage was traveling northbound on SR-1 and was driven by 36 year-old Lothar Tuppan II, from Moss Beach. Seven people in all were transported to local area hospitals for minor to moderate injuries as a result of this collision.

If you have any information regarding this collision please contact Officer Suhl of the California Highway Patrol in Redwood City at (650) 369-6261.

Six engines, representing the Point Montara, Half Moon Bay, and Pacifica Fire Departments responded to a fire at 1151 Cedar in Montara at about 6:30 Tuesday evening. No lives were lost, due to the help of a quick-thinking passerby.

According to Mickey Booher, a neighbor, a person driving by the house noticed a small amount of smoke. He alerted Booher, whose wife called 911 while he and the driver went to the house. They knocked on the front and back doors and woke one man who was sleeping on the first floor. A second man, who a neighbor says was in the shower, followed. “They drove their cars out of the driveway, while we knocked on the neighbors’ doors. The windows blew out right after that.” Booher said that lives could have been lost if the driver had not seen that small amount of smoke that he described as “not even noticeable”.

The owner was off the premises at the time.

The Point Montara Fire District had a meeting scheduled for 7:30pm tonight.

Barry Parr

Barry Parr

Abalone poachers are dealt with pretty severely by the state.  The County Times has a story about a poacher in Pescadero who paid a $5,130 fine and lost his car. It could have been worse. But with abalones fetching up to $100 apiece, it has to be pretty tempting. The poacher had 20 abalones in his Hello Kitty backpack.

Eddie Rapoza was found guilty of murdering his pregnant wife and four-year-old daughter Monday afternoon.  He drove his minivan off the steep cliffs at Bernal and Ocean in Moss Beach in October 2002. Rapoza alone survived the plunge.

This week’s crimewave includes public intoxication, two burglaries of unlocked autos in Montara, residential burglary, three cases of vandalism, two warrant arrests at traffic stops, DUI, a fire, and possession of a controlled substance by a bicyclist. Don’t forget to lock your car, even when it’s in front of your house.

Sheriff’s Deputies observed several individuals loitering in the parking area to the rear of the Beacon Fueling Station located at the corner of Pescadero Creek Road and Stage Road in Pescadero. Deputies made contact with the six individuals who were consuming alcoholic beverages. The ground was littered with broken glass and empty beer cans indicating that the subjects were consuming mass quantities of alcoholic beverages. While speaking with the subjects, one individual, age 32, began to urinate in front of the deputies. Deputies spoke to him and noticed the signs of alcohol intoxication. He was unable to care for himself and was placed under arrest for public intoxication. He was transported to the county jail.

Deputies were dispatched to the above address on the report of and auto burglary. The owner of the vehicle had parked in the driveway of her home and left the vehicle unlocked. When she next entered the vehicle she noticed that the glove compartment had been opened and the contents disheveled on the floor. An inventory of the vehicle revealed several items missing.

Deputies were dispatched to the above address on the report of an auto burglary. The owner of the vehicle parked in the driveway of his home and left the vehicle unlocked. Upon returning to the vehicle, he noticed that the glove compartment and the center console had been opened and papers were disheveled on the floor. Various items were taken.

Deputies were dispatched to the above address on the report of a burglary. They met with the residents of the home and were told that on the previous night prior to going to bed the garage door had been secured. The following morning the garage door was open and various items were taken. A neighborhood check was conducted but no one had seen or heard anything.

Deputies were dispatched to La Honda Road on the report of a vehicle being vandalized. They met with the reporting party and took her statement. The victim had parked her vehicle approximately 50 yards from her driveway and when she returned she noticed that someone had broken both side mirrors and kicked the passenger side front door causing a dent. She doesn’t know who would have done this and doesn’t remember seeing or hearing anything suspicious in the area.

Deputies effected a traffic stop on a vehicle and contacted the occupants. A check with county communications revealed that the driver of the vehicle, age 29, of Montara, had two outstanding warrants. He was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and transported to the county jail.

Deputies were dispatched to a local business located on Beach Way in Moss Beach on the report of vandalism. The reporting party informed deputies that she had parked her vehicle in the lot before going to work. When she returned she noticed that unknown suspects had broken her driver side wiper off and flattened her rear tire.

Deputies were dispatched to the above address on the report of vandalism. Unknown suspects punctured the left front tire of a vehicle that was parked in front of the residence. At this time there are no leads, suspects or evidence.

Deputies were notified by county communications of a vehicle traveling north on Hwy 1 and driving reckless. Deputies located the vehicle and spoke to the four occupants. The driver, age 23, of Pleasanton was found to be driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. One of the passengers, a woman, age 20, of Hayward was found to have an outstanding warrant. Knowing of the warrant, she gave false information to the deputies trying to avoid arrest. Both were arrested and transported to the county jail. The two other occupants were released at the scene.

Deputies were dispatched to Culebra Street in Moss Beach on the report of a structure fire. Black smoke was observed coming from the rear window of the residence. Not knowing if anyone was inside the residence, the front door was forced open. The smoke was too thick to enter. Fire arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. There was no one in the residence and it appeared that the fire started in a rear bedroom.

While on routine patrol, Deputies effected a stop of a bicyclist traveling eastbound in the westbound lane. The subject, age 45, of Moss Beach was found to be in possession of a controlled substance as well as drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and transported to the county jail.

This week opened with a knucklehead pretending to have been kidnapped, followed by the usual ritual of a warrant arrest, a couple of burglaries and a couple of drug possession charges.

Deputies were dispatched to the above location when county communications informed them that the reporting party had called via a call box located on Highway 1. The reporting party said that he was kidnapped and needed assistance. Deputies contacted the subject who claimed that the previous night he fell asleep in Sacramento and when he woke up he was in San Mateo County. He later changed his story and admitted that he was traveling to southern California and wanted the Sheriff’s Office to assist him with traveling aid.

While Deputies were on routine patrol they noticed a vehicle parked in a parking lot with a male subject sleeping inside. Deputies contacted the occupant to check on his welfare. The occupant told Deputies that he was sleeping in the vehicle because he planned to go fishing early the next morning. A routine check with county communications revealed that the subject had an outstanding warrant. He was placed under arrest and booked into the county jail. 

Deputies were dispatched to the above address on the report of a residential burglary. The victim reported that someone had entered his home through an unlocked bedroom window and stole various items. A neighbor saw a suspicious vehicle in front of the residence at the time of the burglary.

Deputies were on routine patrol when they noticed a vehicle being driven by a male subject whose license had been suspended. They contacted the driver, age 42, of Montara. He was arrested for driving without a license. Deputies conducted an inventory check of the vehicle before it was towed and at that time they discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. He was booked into the county jail without further incident.

Unknown subjects entered the open garage of a residence on 11th Street and took a bicycle. The garage had been left open all night and the bicycle was left unsecured.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a man, age 43 of Montara. Deputies had prior knowledge that his license was suspended. Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and found drug paraphernalia as well as drugs. He was arrested and booked into the county jail.