Meaner Than a Junkyard Dog

Dressed in dark clothing and loitering in an alley after nightfall on Dec. 8, a suspicious man prompted a concerned citizen to contact authorities.

Arriving on the scene near Gutierrez Street and Calle Cesar Chavez, officers found a subject matching the description given by the caller.

During a pat-down search, authorities uncovered a pair of nunchuks — a martial arts weapon — binoculars and a map to a nearby towing and storage yard.

After his arrest for possession of the deadly weapon, the man admitted he was hoping to reclaim his car from the nearby tow yard without having to pay the fine. The nunchukas were for “protection.”

Staying Warm Behind Bars

Wearing four pairs of jeans with sensor tags still attached, a man entered a women’s clothing store on State Street and caused a disturbance. Officers were called to help remove the oddly behaving man, who was sweating and swearing profusely, from the store.

When the officers contacted the 26-year-old subject, he confessed he’d “jacked” the pants from Macy’s earlier in the day because, he said, “(he) knew it was going to be cold tonight.”

The man also shared with officers his mother had taught him to steal at a young age. He knew how to remove sensor tags, he said, however he “got lazy today and did not follow her guidelines.”

After the man was arrested and charged with burglary, the pants were returned to Macy’s and the suspect was transported to jail.

You Tool

Breaking a padlock to the automotive garage, a burglar entered a service bay at a Hitchcock Way dealership and fled with an estimated $20,000 worth of equipment.

The thief struck sometime between Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 while the shop was closed for the evening. After entering the garage, the suspect pried open the large locked toolboxes stealing a load of hand tools.

The suspect is believed to have used the garbage cans to conceal the stolen property.

Investigators are searching for the thief.

Stranger in a Strange Car

A driver returned to his vehicle parked downtown at 10:45 p.m. Dec. 8 to find an unwanted passenger in his back seat. Unable to get the stranger out of his car, the driver called officers to the scene.

Abusive and uncooperative, the intoxicated 26-year-old was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Diver Down (and Out)

Having completed her dive session at Leadbetter Beach Nov. 11, a diver from Ventura had rinsed her gear and was allowing it to dry in the early evening air outside the women’s bathroom.

Leaving her equipment unattended while she used the facilities 10 feet away, the woman, 26, was shocked to find her wet suit and dive tank suddenly missing.

In a matter of minutes, the diver told officers, the gear was snatched. The equipment was valued at around $1,000.

Pump You Up

The owner of a high-end vitamin store located on West Carrillo Street contacted authorities after retuning to work earlier this month to discover he’d fallen victim to theft.

Among items stolen were a pricey mineral supplement and cash from the register with the combined value of $1,330.

Because the point of entry was not evident, the victim believes the thief could be somebody who has a key to the store.

Bringing Home the Bacon

A woman, 49, arrested for burglary told officers she entered the store intending to steal the bottle of rum and package of bacon. Unfortunately for her, she said, she was caught in the act.

After seeing the woman conceal the items in her personal belongings, store security personnel contacted the thief just before 2 a.m. outside the West Carrillo Street grocery store.

Not So Bright

The two thieves who stole a dozen sunglasses from a Paseo Nuevo boutique just after 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and then fled on foot are still wanted for burglary.

While one suspect diverted the attention of a sale’s clerk, the other male presumably tucked the 12 pairs of shades into a bag before scooting out the front door undetected.

A sunglass boutique employee estimates losses at around $3,800.

Soup’s on

Conducting a premises check of an unsafe area near railroad tracks, officers cited a couple for illegal lodging.

It was 5 p.m. Dec. 8 and food was already on the camping stove when law enforcement arrived on the scene under the Las Positas overpass.

Noting several chairs, a tent and two coolers, the well-stocked couple appeared to have been camping at the same location for some time.

The couple admitted having been there for several days. The subjects, ages 44 and 52, were cited and released with the promise to appear in court.

Landing in Jail

Clutching a case of beer under each arm, and running at full speed on Chapala Street, a thief came face-to-face with an officer patrolling the downtown area.

Following closely behind, also on foot, were two witnesses trying to capture the suspect who, they motioned to the officer, had just stolen the beer from a nearby gas station.

Upon seeing the officer, the male immediately dropped the beer and attempted to jump a fence to avoid arrest. Instead of landing on his feet, the 22-year-old petty thief landed on his face.

After the fall, he was quickly apprehended.