Editor’s note: This week’s Seal Beach Crime Log is based on 12 detailed versions of the log and one summary version of the log, totaling 397 pages. The summary log provides no details about arrests. The source documents were provided by the Seal Beach Police Department. Space makes it impossible to include all incidents, crimes or arrests.
IN SEAL BEACH
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
• Welfare Check (Priority 2)—11:23 a.m.—Landing Avenue and 15th Street (Old Town)—The reporting person said there was a transient person lying on Landing Avenue between 14th and 15th streets. The reporting person didn’t get close enough to see if he was breathing. As of 11:33 a.m., police found the man and requested paramedics for a patient with a head injury. As of 11:39 a.m., paramedics were present. Assisted.
• Traffic Hazard (Priority 2)—11:45 a.m.—Lampson Avenue and Candleberry Avenue (College Park East)—The reporting person said a man was trimming all the bushes and just throwing them in the street. The reporting person said the branches were blocking the bike lane. Message left for Public Works.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
• Hazard (Priority 3)—11:18 a.m.—First Street Marina Drive—The reporting person was working out and noticed two syringes without caps near the trash. The reporting person put the syringes in the trash, but was concerned that anyone who put more trash in the container would get poked. As of 12:17 police had found the syringes and they were placed in a sharps container at police headquarters.
• Suspicions Person (Priority 2)—11:25 a.m.—16th Street and Pacific Coast Highway (The Coves)—The reporting person saw a man that the reporting person believed was casing the area. The reporting person expressed the opinion that the man was petty theft suspect posted on a sign. However, as of 11:42 a.m., police determined that the sign was not for a petty theft suspect but for a missing adult. Police found the individual that the reporting person had seen in the area. According to the log, he was cooperative. As of 12:07 p.m., he was interviewed in the field.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
• Welfare Check (Priority 3)—8:40 a.m.—Dolphin Avenue and Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The reporting person said a man was hunched over on the block wall. He had luggage with him and had been there since the previous night. As of 9:20 a.m., police determined he was OK. He said he was hungry. He declined medics and left the area.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
• Welfare Check (Priority 2)—4:34 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway (Bridgeport)—The reporting person said a man was passed out on the ground in the alley to the rear of the liquor store. As of 4:36 p.m., a second reporting person reported the same thing. As of 4:45 p.m., police contacted the man. It turned out he had not been drinking. He had just been taking a nap. As of 4:49 p.m., he had left the area.
• Disturbing Noise (Priority 3)—5:04 p.m.—Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The reporting person said a man dressed like a pirate was sitting on a bench, yelling and screaming a lot. The reporting person said he hadn’t done anything wrong; he was just being loud yelling. As of 5:17 p.m., police found the man in question reading Scriptures loudly. Asked if he would quiet down or move to another location, he said no. Police determined no crime had occurred. Log item.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
• Hit and Run Report, Parked Car (Priority 3)—1:30 p.m.—Elder Avenue—The reporting person came home from vacation to find his car had been hit while it was parked on the street. Report taken.
• Transient (Priority 3)—4:28 p.m.—Main Street (Old Town)—The reporting person said an individual was swinging their arms around and had trouble walking. The original reporting person and a second reporting person could not determine the individual’s gender. A third reporting person said the individual was a man. However, as of 4:43 p.m., when police contacted the individual, the person in question turned out to be a woman. Police determined that she was not a danger to herself or others. She simply had a medical condition. As of 4:53 p.m., she told police she was en route to the bus stop at Eighth Street. As of 5:05 p.m., police observed her heading up Pacific Coast Highway in the direction of Long Beach.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
• Grand Theft Report (Priority 3)—11:52 a.m.—Galleon Way—The reporting person said binoculars were stolen from the reporting person’s boat the previous night. The value of the binoculars was blacked out in the log. However, grand theft is defined as the taking of cash or property worth more than $950. Report taken.
• Disturbing Individual (Priority 2)—11:53 a.m.—Eighth Street (Old Town)—The reporting person said a man kept pounding on the doors and windows at City Hall, referring to a ticket he received. According to the log, his car was at Eighth and Central Avenue, facing in the wrong direction. The man, described as 80 years old, was gone when police arrived.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
• Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—8:51 a.m.—Lampson Avenue and Heather Street (College Park East)—The reporting person said that a man in a parked car was stopping passersby and begging for money. He reportedly told the reporting person that he had a friend in the area but that friend had already left. Police were unable to locate him.
• Counseling (Priority 3)—3:58 p.m.—Central Avenue (Old Town)—The reporting person wanted to speak to an officer about an assault at the pier on the reporting person’s 12-year-old son by a protestor. The officer spoke with the boy and was told a man hit the boy’s arm during the protests at the pier. The officer spoke with someone else who stated someone was being extremely aggressive with the Black Lives Matter protesters, throwing water and causing major disturbances. The child’s mother requested an event number at the time but told police she would file a battery report if it continues. Counseled.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
• Transient (Priority 3)—10:35 a.m.—12th Street (Old Town)—The reporting person said that a man was sleeping inside couches that were stacked on top of each other in a neighbor’s driveway. As of 10:58 a.m., police contacted the man in question. As of 11:06 a.m., the man was advised about the city’s Municipal Code and was walking out of the area.
• Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—10:07 p.m.—Avalon Drive (The Hill)—The reporting person said a man was walking around the entrance of the park. The reporting person was concerned because the man was also smoking a cigarette and there was dry brush at the location. Police were unable to locate him.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26
• Stray Animals (Priority 3)—9:19 a.m.—Dogwood Avenue and Primrose Street (College Park East)—The reporting person said two German shepherds were on Primrose, headed toward Dogwood Avenue. As of 9:25 a.m., they were last seen walking toward Almond Park. As of 9:26 a.m., the reporting person told police that they had called Long Beach Animal Care Services only to hear an outgoing voice message that said they were closed that day. Long Beach ACS has the contract to provide animal control services to Seal Beach. The hours according to the ACS website are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. As for the two German shepherds, police were unable to locate them.
• Petty Theft Reported (Priority 3)—12:24 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The reporting person said her father lost his wallet on Sunday, Oct. 26. He tried to file a lost wallet report with San Dimas and they told him he had to call Seal Beach. The reporting person said her dad would have his phone on. As of 12:30 p.m., the reporting person said an officer could call her if police have any issues. It seemed her dad was elderly. Report taken.
• Petty Theft (Priority 2)—12:53 p.m.—Eighth Street (Old Town)—The reporting person said someone took a leaf blower from the front porch 10 minutes prior to the call to police. Report taken.
• Car Burglary (Priority 3)—3:53 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—Point of entry: a punched lock on the passenger side of the car. Loss: the steering column and phones. Report taken.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27
• Car Burglar (Priority 3)—9:25 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—Sometime during hour before the call to police, someone took a suitcase from the front seat of the reporting person’s car.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
• Hazard (Priority 3)—9:56 a.m.—Sixth Street (Old Town)—The reporting person said a parked pick-up truck had a battery leaking acid from the street. This was apparently not the first time that particular truck was parked in front of the reporting person’s home. The reporting person said the last time he called police there was no response. The log described the reporting person as extremely upset. The reporting person said it was running the street. Police checked. No traffic/parking violation observed. Batteries were in back of the truck. Police did not observe a leak. The reporting person pointed out white markings on the road and stated it was the batter acid eating up the street. The reporting person was visibly upset, according to the log, and complained about his tax dollars. As of 10:07 a.m., he said he would call his councilman if the issue continues. As of 10:36 a.m., police left a message with Code Enforcement.
• Medical Aid (Priority 1)—1:18 p.m.—Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—A police officer requested medics for a man who appeared to suffer from heat exhaustion. As of 1:23 p.m., medics were present. As of 1:46 p.m., the man refused medics. The officer stood by until the man’s wife picked him up. Assisted.
• Fraud Report (Priority 3)—2:40 p.m.—Canoe Brook Drive—The reporting person said she rented an apartment through roomies.com and was cheated out of money. The amount was blacked out in the log. The victim lives in Colorado. She was advised to file the report with her local police department. Counseled.
• Haz Mat Spill Reported (Priority 3)—5:36 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and St. Andrews Drive—The reporting person said sewer pump had brown sewage coming out on Seal Beach Boulevard, between Westminster Avenue and the Leisure World Main Gate. As of 5:46 p.m., police observed what appeared to be a water main break. As of 6:36 p.m., Public Works had responded and turned off the valve. No further law enforcement services were required.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
• Petty Theft (Priority 3)—1:41 p.m.—Seal Way—The reporting person said that sometime during the night someone stole an 85-pound sandbag from under the apartment steps. The sandbag was valued at $100.
• Identity Theft (Priority 3)—1:57 p.m.—12th Street—Money was taken from the reporting person’s bank account with the reporting person’s ATM card—which was still in their possession. The victim wanted to prosecute.
• Disturbing Individual (Priority 2)—4:32 p.m.—Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The reporting person said a man was challenging people to a fight.
• Petty Theft (Priority 2)—5:57 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The reporting person said his green beach cruiser bicycle had been stolen. Report taken.
• Arrest—Ocean Avenue—Police arrested Kevin Biggs on suspicion of a misdemeanor violation of the Seal Beach Municipal Code: no riding on the beach.
• Arrest—Pacific Coast Highway—Police arrested Victoria Grace Espinoza on suspicion of misdemeanor petty theft: bicycles.
• Arrest—Seventh Street— Police arrested Victoria Grace Espinoza on suspicion of misdemeanor petty theft from buildings.
• Arrest—First Street and Welcome Lane—Police arrested Eric Wilkinson on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI alcohol.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
• Arrest—Westminster Avenue—Police arrested Christopher Alexander Caceres on suspicion of DUI alcohol
• Arrest—Seal Beach Boulevard and Anchor Way—Police arrested Andrea Ann Berkis on suspicion of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
• Arrest—Harbor Boulevard (in Garden Grove)—Seal Beach Police arrested Raymond Anthony Campos on suspicion of a felony parole violation.
• Arrest—Kitts Highway and Pacific Coast Highway—Police arrested Eric William Moen on suspicion of misdemeanor throwing a substance at a car.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1
• Arrest—Seal Beach Boulevard—Police arrested Diego Andres Valdivieso on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI alcohol.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2
• Arrest—Surfside Avenue—Police arrested Raul Javier Valenzuela on suspicion of misdemeanor trespass: posted land: tampering with lock.
• Arrest—12th Street and Pacific Coast Highway—Police arrested Wade James Rutledge on suspicion of disorderly conduct: alcohol.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
• Arrest—Pacific Coast Highway—Police arrested Juan Secudino-Martinez on suspicion of misdemeanor petty theft from a car.
