New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Crime

Public assistance sought in identifying a dead man found in Crystal Cove

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Beaches, Crime, Orange County Leave a comment

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Investigators Seeking Public’s Assistance Identifying John Doe

SANTA ANA, Calif. (February 19, 2015) – Investigators have recently compiled the sketch of a John Doe missing since Tuesday, December 24, 2013. Investigators have determined the person had been deceased for as long as several weeks prior to discovery.

At that time, the body of a male was found floating approximately one mile off of the Newport Beach Coastline in the Crystal Cove area. The victim may have suffered unknown head trauma and had been weighted down with a 35lb iron dumbbell. The subject was wearing a dark colored ‘Champion’ nylon sweatpants with zippered legs, size 11 black ‘Asics’ tennis shoes and a black ‘Timex’ watch with a black plastic band. While his age is unknown, it is believed he is older than 30 and as old as 50, height of 5’8”-5’9”, approximately 165 lbs with dark hair. Continue reading→

Spurgeon Intermediate on lock down after shots fired nearby

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD 1 Comment

The Santa Ana School Police Department has reported that shots were heard at around 3 pm by Spurgeon Intermediate School and it was placed on lock down temporarily as a precautionary measure.

The School Police and the SAPD responded to the area of 5th and Fairview in reference to the shots that were reported. Continue reading→

Young, tattoed woman a person of interest in hotel robberies

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Hotels, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: UPDATE: Detectives Request Additional Media and Public Assistance in Identifying Female of Interest

On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, Santa Ana Police Department detectives initiated an investigation after an attempted robbery at the Double Tree Hotel located at 201 E. MacArthur in the city of Santa Ana.

Detectives suspect Christopher Herrera approached the victim from behind as he entered his room and demanded money. After the victim refused, Herrera physically assaulted the victim before fleeing the area of the room and exiting an elevator with two unknown females. Continue reading→

The SAPD issues a warning about IRS and Sheriff phone scams

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Santa Ana Police Department Advisory – Phone Scams

The Santa Ana Police Department advises the public to be aware of two current phone scams involving suspects who pretend to be IRS or Orange County Sheriff’s Department employees. Since January 29th, 2015, the SAPD has several reported cases involving these scams where victims have lost approximately $10,000.

IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scam:

An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. Continue reading→

Car stolen a half mile from the SAPD HQ and the thieves got away

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Police were looking for two people who fled from a stolen gray 1999 Honda Civic after a short pursuit in Santa Ana on Tuesday afternoon. The car was reported stolen, at 1:41 p.m. near Tenth Street and Van Ness Avenue (in Ward 5), according to the O.C. Register.

The car was stolen about two blocks north of Santa Ana’s City Hall and half a mile from the Santa Ana Police Department’s headquarters, according to Google Maps. Continue reading→

Police seek additional victims of robbery suspects who targeted hotels

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Investigators Seek Additional Victims of Robbery Suspects

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTBx20c3lHE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – (February 13, 2015) –On Wednesday, February 11, 2015, Sandy Cacero, 24, La Palma and Christopher Herrera, 27, Bell Gardens, were arrested in connection with robbery that occurred in the city of Dana Point. Cacero and Herrera were arrested in the city of La Palma following an investigation immediately following the incident.

On Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at approximately 12:30 a.m., Orange County Sheriff’s investigators began investigating a robbery at the Best Western Hotel located at 34280 Pacific Coast Highway in the city of Dana Point. Investigators suspect Herrera and Cacero arrived at the hotel to meet the victim after corresponding on the website Backpages.com. During the contact at the hotel, Herrera and Cacera physically assaulted, peppered sprayed and robbed the victim of his cash, cellular phone and tablet. They were last seen leaving the hotel in a white, 2013 Nissan Maxima, CA license plate #6XCC446 (photo attached). Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for two men who robbed Arthur’s Liquor

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Robbery Detectives request assistance in identifying masked robbers

Location: 3535 S. Fairview Street – Arthur’s Liquor

Suspect #1 – Male, 20 – 30 years old, 5’9” – 6’0” tall, 175-220 lbs, heavy build. Armed with a revolver.

Suspect #2 – Male, 18 – 25 years old, 5’10” – 6’1’ tall, 180 – 220 lbs, medium build.

Synopsis: On 2/9/2015 at 1925 hours, Suspect #1 and Suspect #2 entered Arthur’s Liquor Store wearing masks and robbed the store at gunpoint. Suspect #1 was wearing a wrestling mask and Suspect #2 was wearing a black bandana and baseball cap. Continue reading→

Phone scammers are pretending to work for the O.C. Sheriff

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Phone Scams Use Names of OCSD Personnel to Solicit Money

SANTA ANA, Calif. (February 13, 2015) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department advises the public to be aware of phone scams involving subjects pretending to be law enforcement personnel. Several instances of this type of fraud continue to occur throughout Orange County.

Suspects fraudulently identifying themselves as law enforcement officers, call victims claiming they have a warrant for their arrest. The reasons for the warrant vary; the most recent being failing to appear for jury duty or unpaid tickets. The victim is then told they can resolve the issue by obtaining a pre-paid money card and calling back with the card number. Once the number is obtained, the funds can be accessed anywhere in the world. The scammers are using names of actual Orange County Sheriff’s Department personnel; have voicemails using the officers’ names and “spoof” caller identification so the numbers of actual law enforcement agencies will appear on the victim’s phone. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man suspected of an attempted carjacking arrested in Yorba Linda

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A Santa Ana resident, Juan Hernandez, 28-years old, was arrested today after seven hours of searching by Orange County Deputy Sheriffs. He is suspected of trying to carjack a woman in a Trader Joe’s parking lot in Yorba Linda, at the Country Club Shopping Center located at 19655 Yorba Linda Blvd., according to the O.C. Register.

Hernandez approached a woman as she left the grocery store – he opened her driver’s-side door then he demanded that she turn over her purse and her car keys. Then he pushed her into the car and started to choke her before attempting to turn on the car. Continue reading→

DUI driver who killed a jogger sentenced to one year in jail

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Costa Mesa, Crime, Newport Beach, OCDA Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 14HF1716

Date: February 11, 2015

DRUNKEN DRIVER SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN JAIL FOR KILLING JOGGER AFTER SWERVING INTO BIKE LANE

SANTA ANA – A drunken driver was sentenced yesterday to one year in jail and five years of formal probation for killing a jogger after swerving into the bike lane and hitting the victim. Robert John Greaney, 23, Costa Mesa, pleaded guilty to the court to one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs with injury, and an infraction for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana by a driver with sentencing enhancement allegations for inflicting great bodily harm. The People objected to the court offer, stating that the defendant deserved a state prison sentence based on Greaney’s blood alcohol content being at .15 percent at the time of the collision and that he also had two other intoxicating substances in his system.

At approximately 9:28 p.m. on June 12, 2014, Greaney was driving a Ford F-150 truck while intoxicated and traveling westbound on Pacific Coast Highway, west of Morning Canyon Drive in Newport Beach. Continue reading→

Man who was on the SAPD’s Most Wanted List now facing murder trial

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 11CF3436

Date: February 10, 2015

MAN FORMERLY ON SAPD’S MOST WANTED LIST TO FACE TRIAL FOR MURDERING EMPLOYER IN 2009

SANTA ANA – A man who was on the Santa Ana Police Department’s (SAPD) most wanted list is scheduled to face trial tomorrow for murdering his employer. Gerald Guy Byrne, 54, is charged with one felony count of murder. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 60 years to life in state prison. Opening statements are scheduled to begin tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, at 9:15 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crime, Byrne was working for 69-year-old Charles Samo. Continue reading→

O.C. corrections officer charged with rubbing childrens’ shoes in urine

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OC Probation, OCDA, Orange, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # TBA

Date: February 11, 2015

FORMER DEPUTY JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE FOR RUBBING MINORS’ SHOES IN URINE WHILE ON DUTY

SANTA ANA – A former deputy juvenile correctional officer was charged today with child abuse for rubbing the shoes of three minors in urine while the minors were in her care. Tamie Marie Bieker, 38, Santa Ana, is charged with three misdemeanor counts of child abuse. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of three years in Orange County Jail. The defendant is expected to be arraigned March 17, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crimes, Bieker was a deputy juvenile correctional officer at the Juvenile Hall in Orange. The defendant was terminated by the Orange County Probation Department (OCPD) on Dec. 20, 2014. Continue reading→

Police seek man who robbed the RA Food Store, in Ward 1

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Santa Ana Police Robbery Detectives request Media and Publics assistance in identifying armed Robbery Suspect

Location: RA Food Store, 2225 South Main Street

Occurred: Monday 02/02/2015 at 10 p.m.

Suspect: Male Hispanic, 28-32 years old, 6ft to 6’-7”, 170 to 180 lbs., medium build with brown hair and eyes, goatee, medium brown complexion. Suspect was wearing a red long sleeve button up shirt, gray beanie, black denim pants, black sneakers and was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun. Continue reading→

Police seek a suspect who robbed a 7-Eleven in Fountain Valley

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Fountain Valley Leave a comment

City of Fountain Valley – Police Department
PRESS RELEASE: Feb 11, 2015

Fountain Valley Police seek suspect who robbed a 7-Eleven store

On February 10, 2015, at 4:27 am, the pictured suspect entered a 7-Eleven store in the 9000 block of Warner Avenue in Fountain Valley and demanded cash from the clerk, while holding what appears to be a gun wrapped in black cloth. The clerk complied, and the suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. No vehicle was seen. Continue reading→

Woman arrested for multiple local commercial mall burglaries

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County Leave a comment

News Release Newport Beach Police Department
Public Information Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PRESS RELEASE: 02/11/15

Subject: Woman Arrested for Multiple Commercial Burglaries

Contact : Jennifer Manzella, Press Information Officer, 949-644-3662, jmanzella@nbpd.org

Arrested: Thu Thao Thi Vu, Female Asian, 59-year-old resident of Huntsville, Alabama

On Friday, February 6, 2015 at 1:15 pm, the Newport Beach Police Department arrested Thu Thao Thi Vu for a number of Commercial Burglaries committed in the City. Ms. Vu has also been tied to numerous other Commercial Burglaries in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino Counties. This arrest was made possible through the strong relationships between the Police Department and the Loss Prevention teams from our local department stores. Continue reading→