Weekly Crime Report

Police Warn Motorists, Praise Watchful Neighbors

LA MESA -- The car show's increase in Village traffic and the looming July 4th holiday has the police thinking about motorist safety.

Also this week, the police were publicly thanking local residents who were credited in helping officers make daytime burglary arrests.

Case Highlights:
On Wednesday, June 13, residents on Van Horn reported a suspicious vehicle in front of their neighbor’s house. A young man rang the doorbell of the home and then walked around the side of the house, only to return a few minutes later. Several neighbors called the police and 3 suspects were apprehended leaving the area. Had it not been for the neighbors quick reporting, 3 burglary suspects would have gotten away. All 3 were arrested, including 1 juvenile.
On June 15 at 9:10 AM, a resident on Sturgess Avenue discovered a male breaking into his vehicle. The victim called the police and was able to follow the suspect from a safe distance while updating the dispatchers of his location. Several nearby residents also assisted in providing information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts. As a result, officers arrived and detained the suspect without incident. This is another great example of neighbors watching out for one another.
Traffic Information:
This past Thursday, 6-14-12, marked the beginning of the downtown La Mesa’s “Back to the 50’s” car show event. This was well attended with over 100 “show cars” and motorcycles. We want to remind everyone that since the streets at the event site always remain open, all regular traffic laws apply and are enforced including parking rules. Since the area becomes very congested and there are typically more pedestrians about, please be extremely careful to help us keep it an accident free event that’s considerate of all merchants and visitors.
The 4th of July holiday is approaching. Please plan ahead to ensure you have a safe holiday, using a designated driver if appropriate. The La Mesa Police Department will have extra officers out on DUI enforcement during the holiday.
Crime Prevention/Emergency Preparedness:
Protect yourself from identity theft. Shred your household documents before discarding them. Take advantage of the City's Free Paper Shredding Event this Saturday, June 23, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at La Mesa's EDCO Station, located at 8184 Commercial Street. There will be a limit of two boxes per La Mesa household and shredding will be done onsite. No appointment necessary. This city event is made possible through the generous support of the EDCO Disposal Corporation. Questions regarding the event can be directed to 619.667.1167. For more information on identity theft contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 619.667.7545.

First aid supplies should be in every emergency kit. Consider also including emergency reference material such as a first aid book. During an emergency, phone lines may become overloaded, and power outages may limit your access to the internet. A first aid reference guide can address your basic medical concerns when lines of communication are not available. In the event of a life threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. Visit www.readysandiego.org for more information.
Department Information:
Help solve a cold Homicide case: http://www.cityoflamesa.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2487