Pool House Paintings Pilfered
Montecito — Three paintings, with a combined valued of $6,000, have been stolen from a residence on Buena Vista Drive. The victim said the paintings were last seen in the pool house the day before the discovery. The priciest of the three, an abstract painting in blue, orange and brown, was valued at $5,000. The other two, totaling $1,000, were paintings of Asian men dressed in traditional clothing. The victims told police they recently moved into the home and had ongoing construction, and the pool house most likely had been left unlocked.
Square One
Montecito — Deputies responded to a report of theft at the Music Academy of the West construction site on June 6, where a thief made off with 10,000 feet of copper wire. Upon returning to work, having finished a wiring project the night before, the site supervisor found the completed project in shambles. In addition to the value of the wire, the supervisor estimates the labor cost to fix the damages at $2,000. Police have notified recycling centers and potential buyers of the incident.
Rest Assured, He Says He’s Fine
Carpinteria — Residents called police with concerns about the health of a homeless man. According to reports, the man had what looked to be an ulcer or sore above his right eye. A deputy happened approached the transient near Carpinteria Avenue and Dump Road. The 55-year-old man said the mysterious injury did not hurt and he did not want medical attention. “I am fine,” he told the deputy. “It will go away. I don’t need any help. Thank you for asking though.”
Great Green Heist
Montecito — A resident collecting avocados from his land found his once-abundant trees bare of ripe fruit. The man told police that the trees had been picked clean over a couple of months. The 20 trees that once had up to 500 ripe avocados now have only immature produce. He said that a ladder he found behind his shed may have been left by the thief. The victim estimates his loss at more than $500.
Size is Relative
Santa Barbara — A felon was arrested June 8 for disturbing the peace at his West Carrillo apartment complex. He told the officers, “I have a warrant, but it’s small.” When authorities checked his history, they found he was wanted for two outstanding warrants.
Self-Medicated Thief
Goleta — A woman arrested for grand theft at Bacara Resort and Spa told police that she takes medication for her “abnormal impulse control,” but that she recently had tried to wean herself of them. Security officers at the spa found more than $800 worth of spa supplies from the store inside her knitting bag. The 57-year-old woman from Oxnard was seen by a store employee tucking the merchandise into her bag without paying.
Ten Cents on the Dollar
Goleta — A victim of bike theft who found his property the day after the burglary at a sports pawn shop learned that the thief received $55 for the stolen $400 bike. Using information collected by shop employees, deputies were led to the 18-year-old suspect. After his arrest, the thief said he and some friends had conspired to steal the bike after seeing it unsecured at a home on Berkeley Road.
Tip Thief Caught on Tape
Isla Vista — A 19-year-old man caught stealing $25 from a tip jar at a pizzeria initially denied any wrongdoing, but then admitted his guilt after learning that a video camera may have captured his actions. The thief said he used the cash to pay for his food.
High-Energy Theft
El Capitan —Two safes containing $3,500 in cash and several cases of an energy drink are missing after a burglar targeted the general store at El Capitan Horse Ranch. The burglar struck after the store had closed for the night.
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure
Goleta — Six aging, useless air-conditioning units stored near a dumpster until they could be properly recycled were stolen from a Calle Real motel undergoing renovations. The motel manager doesn’t know who would want the discarded units.
Noozhawk staff writer Rebecca Carroll can be reached at rcarroll@noozhawk.com.