Editor’s note: The Crime Log is based on the most recent and detailed information provided by the Seal Beach Police Department. This week’s Seal Beach log is a detailed version. Please note that after receiving the Dec. 5 log, the Sun asked the SBPD to skip ahead to the Dec. 24, 2018, period in order to provide readers with timely logs rather than try to catch up. Their prompt response to the request is much appreciated.
IN SEAL?BEACH
Wednesday, December 5
Robbery (Priority 1)—8:11 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller used a cellphone to tell 911 that a woman was beating up an employee. At that time, the woman was walking through the parking lot. The caller provided police with a description of the suspect. The caller did not see any weapons. Paramedics were apparently not needed. As of 8:12 a.m., police unit 107 contacted a woman outside a nearby location. According to the log, the loss was a bag full of grocery items. Police arrested Rebecca Hallock on suspicion of robbery. In all, two police units responded and a third was available for back up. Incident response time: 1 minute 9 seconds.
Fraud Report (Priority 3)—11:33 a.m.—Catalina Avenue (The Hill)—The caller reported a loss (which was blacked out in the log) due to a phone scam. Police unit 107 took a report. Incident response time: 8 minutes 35 seconds.
Hit and Run, Parked Car (Priority 2)—11:35 a.m.—14th Street (Old Town)—The caller said another person’s car hit the caller’s parked car, then left. The caller followed the other driver to her home. As of 11:36 a.m., the caller described the woman as being uncooperative. As of 11:54 a.m., police unit 141 determined that the caller’s car suffered a minor scuff to a bumper. (The log blacked out the word describing the bumper.) Police unit 141 assisted with the information exchange. Unit S34 provided back up and unit 141 was available for back up, but did not go to the scene. Incident response time: 3 minutes 10 seconds.
Citizen Assist (Priority 3)—12:02 p.m.—10th Street—The caller said a transient man at the location wanted to get back to his family in Colorado. The man was taken to the police station. Police provided the man with bus fare to Colorado. Police unit 131 responded. Incident response time: 24 minutes 27 seconds.
Monday, December 24
Burglary (Priority 3)—7:14 a.m.—Edinger Avenue —The caller said the crime occurred sometime during the six days prior to the call to police. Loss: a fishing pole, a fish finder, and a cut lock. Unit 107, responding alone, took a report. Incident response time: 21 minutes 52 seconds.
Suspicious Circumstances (Priority 2)—8:35 a.m.—Galleon Way (Bridgeport)—The caller said the gates were open at the location and the dog was out running around. The caller said keys were left in the gate. Police contacted the resident and determined everything was OK. Police unit 107 responded alone, though unit 141 was available for back up. Incident response time: 23 minutes 29 seconds.
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—2:09 p.m.—Central Way and Third Street (Old Town)—The caller reported a man walking in the street and glancing into cars. Police unit 107, assisted by units 141, S19 and S20, arrested Edgardo Vaca on suspicion of possession of a controlled substances formerly classified as a restricted dangerous drug. Incident response time: 3 minutes 36 seconds.
Welfare Check (Priority 2)—2:37 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway (Old Town)—The caller sad a man was laying on the ground in the parking lot. The caller didn’t know if he was sleeping or had passed out, but he was not responsive. As of 2:45 p.m., police unit 106 could not wake the man up. Three minutes later, the man was awake. According to the log, he had been drinking. Police arrested James Higdon on suspicion of public intoxication. Unit 106 was assisted by unit 141, with unit S18 providing back up at the scene. Incident response time: 6 minutes 38 seconds.
Petty Theft (Priority 3)—7:21 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said someone took the caller’s helmet off the caller’s motorcycle while the bike was in the parking lot. The crime occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. Police unit 206 took a report. Incident response time: 29 minutes 11 seconds.
Tuesday, December 25
Disturbance (Priority 2)—9:54 a.m.—Main Street (Old Town)—The caller, an employee, reported that an individual was causing a disturbance with customers. He was the same individual as reported the previous day, according to the log. The caller said the man was talking to himself. As of 9:57 a.m., the man in question was walking toward Pacific Coast Highway. Police unit M7 contacted a man who apparently fit the description of the man in question at the corner of PCH and Main Street. Police determined that no criminal laws had been violated. As of 10:13 a.m., the man had left the area. Police units 107 and M7 responded. Incident response time: 6 minutes 3 seconds.
Traffic Stop (Priority 4)—2:01 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street (Old Town)—Police unit 107 stopped a car. Police unit cited and released Andrew Scott Locklin on suspicion of possession of illegal drug paraphernalia. No incident response time was provided as the stop was officerinitiated. Police units 107 was backed up at the scene by units 106, M7, and S19. Unit 107 was onscene for the longest period of time: 23 minutes 7 seconds.
Shots Heard (Priority 2)—5:58 p.m.—Main Street and Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The caller used a cell phone to tell 911 that the caller had heard what the caller apparently believed were gunshots. According to the log, they were loud shots or pops, first in a quick succession and then spaced out in the end. According to the log, as of 6:13 p.m., no units were available. Police unit 206 arrived at 6:21 p.m. Unit 241 was available for back up. Unit 206 apparently determined that the location checked out OK. Incident response time: 22 minutes 35 seconds.
Traffic Hazard (Priority 3)—6:09 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—A caller reported a man walking in the traffic lane. The caller reported having to swerve to avoid striking him. The caller was unable to provide a description of the man. A second caller said the man was walking southbound on the northbound side of Pacific Coast Highway, going toward Seal Beach. The second caller also said the man was walking in the traffic lane on the same side of PCH and in the same direction that the first caller reported. Police units 207 and 241 both responded, but they were unable to locate the pedestrian. Incident response time: 7 minutes 37 seconds.
Hit and Run, Car Strikes Pedestrian (Priority 1)—8:32 p.m.—St. Andrews Drive and Golden Rain Road (Leisure World)—The caller reported that a car struck a pedestrian. The caller did not see the car. The caller only observed the man getting hit. As of 8:34 p.m., the suspect car was going southbound on St. Andrews. According to the log, the caller didn’t think the driver of the suspect car knew that the car had struck the pedestrian. The Sun will follow this case as it develops.
As of 8:35 p.m., the caller apparently told police that there could be damage to the front of the car. The pedestrian “flew” when the car struck him. The incident number was 181205912. Some Leisure World residents recently told the Sun they are concerned about pedestrian safety in the retirement community.
The log did not provide information about the medical condition of the victim. In all, seven Seal Beach Police Department units responded to the scene. Incident response time: 5 minutes 12 seconds. Each of the seven units was onscene for various periods of time, ranging from a low of 17 minutes 8 seconds to a high of 6 hours 4 minutes 2 seconds.
Traffic Hazard (Priority 3)—9:17 p.m.—Westminster Avenue—The caller reported a transient individual (whose gender wasn’t specified in the log) was walking in the middle of the street in the westbound lanes, wearing dark clothing and pulling a rolling suitcase. Police unit 241 contacted the individual, who was attempting to catch the bus. No further police services were required. Incident response time: 5 minutes 28 seconds.
Wednesday, December 26
Car Burglary (Priority 3)—1:14 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller, an employee, relayed secondhand information from a guest that the guest’s car and possibly another car had been burglarized. Police units 206 and 241 responded. Incident response time: 17 minutes 18 seconds.
