A Seal Beach woman is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, Oct. 5, on 36 counts related to allegedly embezzling funds from a homeowners association.
According to the Orange County Superior Court website, charges against Bonnie Diane Harris, 71 as of last month, include embezzlement by a fiduciary of a trust, with an “enhancement” for property damage of more than $65,000. Her city of residence was confirmed by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. According to the courthouse website, prosecutors accuse Harris of embezzeling funds between Nov. 1, 2013, and Dec. 1, 2015. News reports have identified Harris as a former treasurer of the Cedar Glen Homeowners Association. News reports have placed the amount of money she is alleged to have taken at more than $100,000.
In addition to the arraignment, which is a formal reading of the charges, the court will hold a bail review hearing for Harris. According to the courthouse website, she is presently being held in custody in the Orange County Jail. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website, an inmate by the same name, and age is listed in custody and has a court appearance date on Oct. 5. The sheriff’s website does not provide information about charges filed against inmates.
Crime Log Compiled by Charles M. Kelly
Editor’s note: Information in the Crime Log is based on information provided by the Seal Beach Police Department. Logs provided by the SBPD average approximatley 30 pages per each day. Space may not permit the listing of every incident provided in the log.
IN SEAL?BEACH
Friday, August 10
Car Burglary (Priority 3)—8:22 a.m.—Marina Drive (Old Town)—The caller said the crime occurred between 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 9, and 8 a.m., Friday, Aug. 10. Point of entry: unknown. Loss: the caller’s credit card and work identification. The credit card had been used. The caller provided police with information about a car that might be related to the crime. Police unit 107 took a report. Incident response time: 25 minutes 50 seconds.
Brush Fire (Priority 1)—8:45 a.m.—Avalon Drive (Gum Grove Park)—The caller reported smoldering brush by the swing on the upper trail of Gum Grove Park. Though listed as a “brush fire” in the log, there was no fire as of 8:46 a.m. As of 8:48 a.m., the Orange County Fire Authority had been notified. At 8:49 a.m., the caller was standing by to flag down police units. Police unit 106 responded and unit M6 was available for back up. At 8:57 a.m., police unit 106 notified dispatch that no further law enforcement services were required. The officer stood by for the OCFA. Incident response time: 5 minutes 31 seconds.
Car Burglary (Priority 3)—11 a.m.—Seventh Street (Old Town)—During the night, someone took a computer, shoes and miscellaneous other items from the caller’s car. Police unit 107, responding alone, apparently determined that the crime occurred at approximately 3:20 to 3:30 a.m. The police obtained information about a suspect. Point of entry: an unlocked door. The value of the stolen electronics, which was blacked out in the log, apparently qualified the crime as a grand theft. Report taken. Incident response time: 17 minutes 22 seconds.
Petty Theft Report (Priority 3)—3:44 p.m.—Harvard Lane (College Park East)—Someone stole the caller’s lawnmower at about 1 p.m. The lawnmower was in the yard. Police unit 107 took a report. Incident response time: 17 minutes 13 seconds.
Saturday, August 11
Suspicious Occupied Car (Priority 2)—6:55 a.m.—Third Street and Central Avenue (Old Town)—The caller said an RV had been parked next to a home for a day. The caller said the RV might belong to the residents or possibly someone was sleeping in the RV. Police units 107 and 141 responded, with unit 207 apparently available for back up. Officers contacted an individual associated with the RV. Residents of the home were inside the RV. They had a city permit. No further law enforcement services were required. Incident response time: 17 minutes 50 seconds.
Traffic Collision (Priority 1)—10:12 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and Westminster Avenue—The caller reported a collision between a car and a motorcycle. The bike was down as of 10:13 a.m. Units 106 and 107 were the first on-scene. Responding officers requested the no. 1 and no. 2 lanes south of the intersection be closed off. Police unit 447 handled shutting down the lanes. At 10:37, unit 107 requested a tow truck. As of 10:48 a.m., the motorcycle was moved off the roadway. As of 10:54 a.m., police advised dispatch that the motorcycle driver would have a friend come pick up the bike. In all, six police units responded. There was no information in the log concerning whether the driver of either vehicle had been injured. Incident response time: 3 minutes 39 seconds.
Disturbance (Priority 2)—2:58 p.m.—Ocean Avenue (Old Town)—The caller said two men in their 40s were smoking under the Seal Beach Pier and refused to stop. Police unit 940 was unable to locate them. Incident response time: 40 minutes 19 seconds.
Fraud Report (Priority 3)—4:30 p.m.—Montecito Road—The caller reported an attempt to access her bank accounts. She told police she had not suffered an actual loss. According to the log, someone left the caller a voice message directing her to call a number in order to get a refund. She called the number and spoke to a man with an Indian accent who directed her to a website that prompted visitors to use the website to obtain remote access to their bank accounts. The man on the phone was then able to transfer funds between her accounts. The man then told the woman to get gift cards to return to obtain a greater refund. The caller did not buy the gift cards. She contacted the bank and the police. Police unit 106 took a report. Incident response time: 21 minutes 15 seconds.
Sunday, August 12
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—9:17 a.m.—Montecito Road—The caller said a man was walking in the planter between the two security gates. He had been there for 45 minutes. As of 9:20 a.m., the caller could no longer see him. Police units 106 and S20 responded, but were unable to locate the individual in question.
Illegal Peddler (Priority 3)—12:21 p.m.—Ironwood Avenue (College Park East)—The caller said men were going door to door, soliciting yard work. The caller believed it was a scam. They were apparently gone when police unit 106 arrived. Incident response time: 42 minutes 10 seconds.
Welfare Check (Priority 2)—12:38 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and Anderson Street—The caller requested a check on the well-being of a man who appeared to be passed out in a pick-up truck. As of 12:40 p.m., he was backing up the truck in an attempt to leave. Then someone tried to help him move into a parking lot. As of 12:41 p.m., the caller said the man had a dog with him. As of 12:51 p.m., police unit 107 said the man was last seen on foot. Unit 107 contacted the man at 12:54 p.m. Police arrested Michael Patrick Vane on suspicion of public intoxication. Incident response time: 6 minutes 40 seconds.
Hail By Citizen (Priority 3)—12:41 p.m.—First Street—An individual flagged down police unit M7 to report that an elderly man fell. Unit M7 requested paramedics. Unit M7 determined the elderly man was conscious and breathing. As of 12:58 p.m., the elderly man had been transported to another location. Police unit 40 assisted. The elderly man was apparently not taken to a hospital. No incident response time was provided as the call was initiated by unit M7. Unit M7 was on-scene 16 minutes 39 seconds. Unit 940 was on-scene 37 minutes 56 seconds.
Monday, August 13
Transient (Priority 3)—6:04 a.m.—Electric Avenue and Sixth Street (Old Town)—The caller reported a man sleeping by the planter at the location. As of 6:08 a.m., no units were available. Police unit 107 arrived at 6:58 a.m. Police were unable to locate the transient man. Incident response time: 54 minutes 8 seconds.
Petty Theft Report (Priority 3)—3:19 p.m.—Electric Avenue and 14th Street (Old Town)—The caller wanted to report the theft of the caller’s backpack. The caller was on the greenbelt. The caller did not see a suspect. As of 3:36 p.m., police unit 107 advised dispatch that the backpack had been located. Theft report unfounded. Incident response time: 14 minutes 43 seconds.
Pedestrian Check (Priority 3)—8:47 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway (Old Town)—Police unit 241 stopped a pedestrian. As of 8:54 p.m., the man was in custody. According to unit 241, he was uncooperative. Police arrested Richard Espinoza on suspicion of public intoxication. There was no incident response time provided as the stop was initiated by unit 241. Unit 207 participated in the arrest. The two units were both on-scene for more than 22 minutes.
Tuesday, August 14
Suspicious Person (Priority 2)—1:06 a.m.—Heron Point and Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller reported two men walking away from a car and apparently acting suspicious. As of 1:08 a.m., the caller said they were walking around the car and speculated that they might be drunk. Seconds later, the caller could no longer see them. They were last seen walking southbound to Pacific Coast Highway. Police unit 207 was en route as of 1:08 a.m. Unit 241 was en route as of 1:09 a.m. Police unit S22 contacted the individuals at about 1:12 a.m. Their car had run out of gas. They were walking home to Island View and would return. Incident response time: 6 minutes 15 seconds.
Welfare Check (Priority 2)—8 a.m.—Fir Avenue and Heather Street (College Park East)—The caller said a woman was swatting the air and staggering. She was on Fir Avenue and headed toward Heather. Police unit 106, backed up by unit M7, interviewed her in the field. Incident response time: 10 minutes 20 seconds.
Petty Theft Report (Priority 3)—3:54 p.m.—Seal Way—A citizen went to Seal Beach Police Department Headquarters to report a theft from a car that occurred sometime between the previous Friday and Sunday. Loss: a checkbook, vehicle registration and change. The log did not say if the car was locked at the time. Police unit 107 took a report. Incident response time: 3 minutes 4 seconds.
Reckless Driver (Priority 2)—4:24 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street (Old Town)—The caller said a man in a car was running stop signs and slamming on his breaks. As of 4:26 p.m., the caller was no longer following the driver. Police unit 107 was unable to locate the reportedly reckless driver. Incident response time: 8 minutes 21 seconds.
Wednesday, August 15
Pedestrian Check (Priority 3)—12:47 a.m.—Ocean Avenue—Police unit S44, assisted by unit 207, stopped two pedestrians. Their parents were en route to pick them up. No incident response time was provided.
Thursday, August 16
Transient (Priority 3)—9:04 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway —The caller, relaying second hand information from the caller’s employees, said there was a transient man inside the business.
As of 9:20 a.m., police unit 107 had interviewed the man in the field, advised him he could be arrested for trespassing if he returned, and counseled him to leave.
The man left and was last seen walking down Pacific Coast Highway, screaming and yelling. Incident response time: 3 minutes 46 seconds.
Car Burglary (Priority 3)—2:04 p.m.—Old Ranch Parkway—The caller said that sometime that morning, someone stole a suitcase, cell phone charger and cell phone stand from the caller’s car. Point of entry: unknown. Incident response time: 8 minutes 49 seconds. Unit 106 was on-scene 42 minutes 56 seconds.
Pedestrian Check (Priority 3)—6:12 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—Police S21 stopped a pedestrian. Assisted by unit 241A, police cited and released Carmen Gomez on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and possession of illegal drug paraphernalia. She was released in the field. No incident response time provided.
Disturbance (Priority 2)—6:28 p.m.—Marina Drive and Pacific Coast Highway (Old Town)—The caller reported a man yelling. As of 6:55 p.m., police unit 207 reported that a man matching the description of the individual in question was in front of a liquor store in Pacific Coast Highway. As of 6:57 p.m., police unit S21 contacted the man. As of 7:01 p.m., he was in custody. Police arrested Stephen Brown on suspicion of resisting an officer. Incident response time: 26 minutes 59 seconds.
