Briefly In Public Safety

Golf cart damaged in hot-wire attempt

A golf cart was reported tampered with in an apparent attempt to steal it in the 1200 block of North Coast Highway, Lt. Jason Kravetz said. The owner left the cart parked behind his residence and when he returned the following day discovered that $10 worth of quarters and two garage door openers were missing from the vehicle.

It also appeared the suspect tried to start the golf cart by ripping out the wires to hot-wire it. A total loss of $211 was reported. The report was made at 11:14 a.m. Feb. 9 and a detective will be following up, Kravetz said.

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Allegedly suicidal man stopped with gun

Laguna Beach police took a driver into custody for psychiatric evaluation at 1:55 p.m. Feb. 9 after Riverside police contacted the department saying that a suicidal man might be in Laguna Beach, driving around with a gun, Kravetz said.

Officers located the vehicle, a Chevy pickup truck, at Coast Highway and Vista del Sol in South Laguna, stopped the driver and removed him from the vehicle. A handgun was found in the vehicle’s center console.

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Skyline Drive home ransacked

A home in the 1200 block of Skyline Drive was reported ransacked at 6:33 p.m. Feb. 10, Kravetz said.

The suspects entered the home by shattering a window, and once inside, stole $4,500 worth of miscellaneous items, which included loose change, foreign currency and a check book. The resident reported drawers pulled out, according to police records.

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Laguna Beach police are looking for a woman who allegedly rear-ended a vehicle at Cress Street and South Coast Highway at 3:23 p.m. Saturday, got out of the car and then fled when the other driver said police were being notified, Kravetz said.

The other driver told police that alcohol could be smelled on the woman’s breath. The suspect, a white female about 55 years old, was driving a red Ford four-door with a partial California license plate number of 6EPN6XX. The last two digits of the plate were not reported to police.

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Man accused of assault in bar

A San Diego man was arrested on suspicion of battery at a bar in a restaurant in the 1700 block of South Coast Highway at 11:07 p.m. Saturday, Kravetz said.

The man, a patron, was allegedly intoxicated, refusing to leave and picking fights, and was accused of striking a person inside the establishment, Kravetz said. The suspect, Jeremiah Paul Abler, 34, was ejected from the bar by bouncers, who called police. No one was reported injured in the incident.

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Icing, yogurt smeared on vehicles

Five vehicles were reported smeared with cake frosting, yogurt, icing and eggs on Sunday morning in South Laguna, Kravetz said.

The reports of vandalism by food were made at 8:31 a.m. and 1:07 p.m. in the 30000 block of Virginia Way and the 30000 block of 10th Avenue, respectively. The reports were taken as informational only because it is not clear there is permanent damage, Kravetz added.

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Gas card used fraudulently

A Laguna Beach woman reported her Chevron credit card was used at 15 different locations to rack up $2,124 in charges, Kravetz said. Since the victim still had her card, it is possible the card was duplicated. The report was made at 1:42 p.m. Monday.