On Saturday, Oct. 20, at about 3:30 p.m., a driver drove westbound on the boardwalk from Dolphin to the 10th Street parking lot and collided with the construction site fence. While driving on the boardwalk, he hit an unattended mail carrier cart.
He was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of drugs.
Crime Log Compiled by Charles M. Kelly
Editor’s note: Information in the Crime Log is based on the information most recently provided by the police. Incident time reflects the time police received a call. The number of units and the incident response times are taken directly from the log. Space does not permit the listing of every incident.
IN SEAL?BEACH
Monday, August 20
Found Wallet (Priority 4)—8:05 a.m.—Scioto Road—The caller reported finding a wallet containing someone’s identification in the street in the area of Seal Beach Boulevard between Adolfo Lopez and Heron Point. By 8:42 p.m., the owner of the wallet had been located. Police unit 106 responded alone. Response time: 11 minutes 45 seconds.
Traffic Hazard (Priority 2)—10:42 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and Northbound 405 Freeway—The caller said there was some type of tank (no further description provided) in the no. 1 lane of Seal Beach Boulevard, just north of the overpass. The caller said the tank was causing drivers to swerve. Police unit 141 responded alone. Police unit 141 was unable to locate the tank. Incident response time: 1 minute 38 seconds.
Reckless Driver (Priority 2)—11:06 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and Northbound 405 Freeway—Police received a report by radio of a reckless driver. As of 11:08 a.m., the suspect car was in the no. 1 lane of Seal Beach Boulevard, approaching a green light. As of 11:30 a.m., police were conducting a field sobriety test. Two police units responded, 141 and S34, while two others were available for back up. Police arrested Travis James Basey on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Incident response time: 1 minute 23 seconds.
Welfare Check (Priority 2)—2:12 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and Westminster Avenue—The caller reported that an older man appeared to be asleep behind the wheel of a car in the left turn lane from the eastbound side of Westminster to the northbound side of Seal Beach Boulevard. Three police units responded. Officers checked in all directions, but were unable to locate the motorist in question who had apparently left by the time police arrived. Incident response time: 4 minutes 58 seconds.
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—4:43 p.m.—Dolphin Avenue and Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The caller reported seeing a man come out of a home who did not live in the home. He was accompanied by another man who appeared to the caller to be drunk. The first man was last seen on Ocean Avenue, possibly going west, without his reportedly intoxicated companion. Police did not know where the drunk man went as the caller’s phone kept cutting out and the dispatcher could not understand him. Police unit 241 was unable to locate the suspicious individuals. Incident response time: 39 minutes 46 seconds.
Possible DUI (Priority 2)—4:58 p.m.—Main Street (Old Town)—The caller said a woman came into the business and appeared to be drunk. The caller believed she had been driving a car that had a small child in the back seat. As of 4:59 p.m., the woman was seen getting out of the car after trying to park the car several times. The child was left alone in the car. As of 5:01 p.m., the woman was walking northbound on Main Street, talking to herself. Police unit 107 responded and was joined by unit M7. By 5:04 p.m., unit 107 had contacted the woman by the car. Police determined she had not be driving the car under the influence of alcohol. By 5:25 p.m., the car was locked and the woman had found a ride home. The log did not say what happened to the child. Incident response time: 3 minutes 59 seconds.
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—6:23 p.m.—Adolfo Lopez Drive and Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller reported seeing a man pushing two bicycles. The caller thought he might have stolen them as it was suspicious for one person to be with two bikes. Police units 207 and 241 were apparently already on-scene or nearby as no response time was provided. As for the man with the two bikes, he had just been released from custody and the bikes belonged to him.
Suspicious Vehicle (Priority 3)—9:54 p.m.—Candleberry Avenue and Lampson Avenue (College Park East)—The caller reported a motorcycle parked at the location and possible broken down. As of 9:57 p.m., the caller said someone was near the bike and the seat was now missing. The caller was concerned that someone might steal the bike. Police unit 206 responded alone and contacted the registered owner of the motorcycle. The bike had indeed broken down. Incident response time: 19 minutes 32 seconds.
Tuesday, August 21
Transient Activity Reported (Priority 3)—9:06 a.m.—Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The caller was upset about transients and people camping in the area. The line disconnected before police could obtain further information. As of 9:15 a.m., the caller was back on the line and told police about a tent in the dune near Ocean Avenue. The caller said there were suitcases just west of the tent. Police unit 141 responded and unit 107 was apparently available for back up. Police found the tent unoccupied. A white telescope, a blue tent, a blue cooler and a cart containing unspecified property were booked as found property. Report taken. Incident response time: 8 minutes 54 seconds.
Trespassing (Priority 2)—9:38 a.m.—Bolsa Avenue—The caller reported that a woman was present who had apparently been trespassing the previous day. Police unit 107 responded alone. The woman was apparently counseled against trespassing. The person in charge of the property apparently did not want to press charges. As of 10:10 a.m., her husband had picked her up and was taking her to another location. Incident response time: 1 minute 45 seconds.
Municipal Code Complaint (Priority 3)—10:50 a.m.—Surfside Avenue—The caller, relaying second-hand information, said two individuals had camped out overnight on the beach and were still present on a mattress under an umbrella. Police unit 141, responding alone, apparently advised the two individuals that overnight camping is not allowed. Incident response time: 12 minutes 34 seconds.
Disturbance (Priority 2)—11:18 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—A woman left a child in a car in the parking lot. The caller confronted the woman, presumably the child’s mother, and the mother reacted with hostility. The caller described the car and the mother and requested contact with police. Police units 106 and 141 responded. Police unit 106 interviewed the mother in the field. Incident response time: 11 minutes 24 seconds.
Wednesday, August 22
Municipal Code Complaint (Priority 3)—6:56 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway (Old Town)—The caller complained about a loud concrete cutter inside the store at the location. Police unit 107, responding alone, advised the person or persons responsible about the Seal Beach Municipal Code concerning construction hours. Incident response time: 12 minutes 25 seconds.
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—8:38 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and Fifth Street—The caller said a man walking northbound on Pacific Coast Highway was punching the air and yelling. He approached the caller and started punching the air in front of her. She speculated that the man might be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Police unit 141 responded, with unit 107 apparently available for back up. The man was gone when police arrived. Incident response time: 12 minutes 46 seconds.
Fire Back Up (Priority 2)—12:57 p.m.—First Street—The caller used a cell phone to tell dispatch that there was a fire in the grass/reeds on the bike path behind the location. The caller speculated that the fire was possibly related to a homeless encampment there. As of 12:59 p.m., another caller reported the fire was under the underpass. As of 1:01 p.m., police unit 107 advised dispatch that fire fighters could better access the fire from the pedestrian access from the bridge. As of 1:03 p.m., police unit 141 advised dispatch that the bike path from Marina would be closed. As of 1:05 p.m., unit 107 was blocking traffic on Pacific Coast Highway. In all, six units responded and a seventh (unit 441) was apparently available but did not arrive. As of 1:25 p.m., unit S34 advised that PCH could be opened to traffic again. As of 1:27 p.m., unit S34 advised that the bike path could now be opened. Incident response time: 2 minutes.
Found Property (Priority 4)—1:26 p.m.—First Street and Pacific Coast Highway—Police unit 107 found a safe at the location. The safe was booked into property. Report taken. No response time was provided. Unit 107 was on-scene for 30 minutes 20 seconds.
Car Burglary (Priority 3)—2:25 p.m.—Annandale Drive (Leisure World)—Sometime during the night, someone took the caller’s registration and insurance card from the caller’s car, which was parked in the carport. Point of entry unknown. Police unit 106 took a report. Incident response time: 33 minutes 54 seconds.
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—4:09 p.m.—Pansy Circle and Almond Avenue (College Park East)—The caller reported a woman going through the neighborhood with a metal detector. The caller thought this was suspicious as the woman was seen the previous day doing the same thing. Police unit 141 responded, with unit 106 available for back up, but police were unable to locate the woman with the metal detector. Incident response time: 21 minutes 25 seconds.
Disturbance (Priority 2)—5:19 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said a man was in the store, using a Swiss Army knife to cut merchandise. The caller said he was threatening other employees. The man reportedly said he was going to stalk them in the store and was verbally abusive. The caller wanted officers to contact the man outside the store. The caller was not so concerned about the possibility of petty theft. Police unit 106 contacted the man outside the store. Police unit 107 also responded. Unit 141 was apparently available. Police arrested Morgan Sims on suspicion of possession of illegal drug paraphernalia and suspicion of a controlled substance.
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—8:33 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a man climbed the fence surrounding a small sandwich shop in the parking lot and was trying to open the doors. Police units 206 and 207 responded and unit 241 was apparently available for back up. As of 8:35 p.m., police had one individual at Taser point. As of 8:36 p.m., the individual was described as compliant in the log. Police arrested Anthony Flores on suspicion of petty theft. Incident response time: 2 minutes 30 seconds.
Thursday, August 23
Found Property (Priority 4)—7:15 a.m.—Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The caller found four handbags on the beach and requested an officer. Police unit 440 was on scene 1 second after police received the call. Police unit 106 arrived 7 minutes 15 seconds after the call. The incident response time provided in the log was 1 second.
Disturbance (Priority 2)—8:13 a.m.—St. Andrews Drive—The caller said he was in a bathroom when a bus driver pushed him. The caller said the bus driver was still at the location and on the bus. The driver was aware that the police had been called. As of 8:39 p.m., police determined that the alleged battery was unfounded and the entire incident had been a verbal dispute. Police units 106 and 107 responded. Incident response time: 8 minutes 20 seconds.
Found Property (Priority 4)—12:40 p.m.—Third Street and Ocean Avenue—The caller reported finding a bike chained to a stop sign. The caller said it was missing a seat. The caller was concerned that the bike was an abandoned stolen bike. Police unit 107 responded alone and arrived at 1:37 p.m..
Unit 107 determined that the bike had a new lock on it. Police determined that the bike checked out OK. Incident response time: 57 minutes 16 seconds.
Burglary Report (Priority 3)—1:49 p.m.—Surfside Avenue (Surfside Colony)—The caller said someone broke into the garage and the cars inside the garage between 3 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 22, and 5 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 23. Loss: tools and other miscellaneous items. Police unit 107 took a report.
Incident response time: 7 minutes 47 seconds.
Animal Welfare Check (Priority 3)—6:10 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said a dog had been left in a locked car. The caller had been present for more than 10 minutes. The caller said the dog was panting and looked lethargic. The caller was leaving by 6:12 p.m. Police unit 206 arrived at 6:25 p.m., but the dog and the car in question were not there when police arrived. Incident response time: 14 minutes 57 seconds.
