A Leisure World woman learned that someone bought a house under her name.
She reported the problem to the Seal Beach Police Department on Monday, Oct. 24. This is her story:
Her purse was stolen in Long Beach. The log did not include the date and time of the purse theft. The Leisure World woman reported the crime to the Long Beach Police Department.
Unfortunately for her, that wasn’t the end of the story.
On Oct. 24, she called Seal Beach PD to report that she had received information that a house was purchased under her Social Security number. The buyer of the house was apparently not paying their bills, either.
According to an article on the FBI Web site by Special Agent Jeff Lanza, old school methods—such as stealing a woman’s purse or a man’s wallet—are just one way for thieves to take someone’s identity.
“Some new approaches include hiding software on your computer to log your keystrokes,” Lanza wrote. “Or trying to ‘phish’ you with bogus e-mails about problems in your account or phony offers of free goods or prizes. Keep in mind that clicking on the embedded link will take you directly to that crook’s website, where they will try to ‘pharm’ your personal data.”
What do identity thieves need?
“Your name, home address, and birth date provide a good start and are readily available in many easily searchable public databases. Your social security number, which is a more difficult identifier to steal and is also the key to unlocking your credit, is so important to an identity thief that you must go out of your way to protect it,” Lanza wrote.
“If you do have your identity stolen or lose something vital like your purse or wallet, take action immediately,” Lanza said. “Call any one of the three credit reporting agencies and put a fraud alert on your account. If accounts have already been opened, file a police report immediately and contact each creditor to tell them you’ve been victimized.”
To make a comment on this story at the Sun Newspapers’ Web site, go to www.sunnews.org.
Crime Log Compiled
by Charles M. Kelly
IN SEAL BEACH
Monday, October 24
Suspicious Person—6:33 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a man in his late 40s or mid-50s held something in his hand as he looked into cars.
No Citations—8:38 a.m.—Ocean Avenue—The caller asked police not to issue citations to two contractors’ trucks. The trucks would be parked in front of the caller’s home that day while the contractors worked. Message delivered.
Opossum—5:34 p.m.—Second Street—The caller reported a dead opossum in a neighbor’s side yard near Central Way and Second Street.
Panhandler—5:59 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller requested extra patrol checks for an individual who was panhandling. The panhandler told potential donors that he was collecting money for the victims. (The log did not say what victims, though this appeared to be a reference to the Salon Meritage shootings.) The caller said the man had been overheard bragging that he was making $100 a day. Information given to watch commander and night watch.
Tuesday, October 25
911 Hang-Up—5:59 p.m.—Dolphin Avenue—It turned out the caller didn’t have an emergency. He was showing his wife how to use the cell phone.
Transient—10:54 p.m.—Ocean Avenue—The caller said a man was sleeping in the park. Police unit 207 cited the man for camping in the park. According to the log, the man left the area.
Wednesday, October 26
Fight—12:50 a.m.—Main Street and Central Avenue—Police unit 207 requested additional units to deal with a group of men who apparently had been fighting.
Twelve individuals needed to be taken back to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station.
Traffic Hazard—7:58 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller, relaying second-hand information, said a vehicle was stalled in front of the Naval Weapons Station entrance. The vehicle was pulled to the side and base personnel helped.
Disturbance—1:04 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—A man became hostile when the caller refused to give him money. He started banging on the caller’s window. Police contacted a man matching the suspect’s description and interviewed him in the field. He was warned about his behavior.
Welfare Check—2:52 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and Westminster Avenue—The caller said a woman was walking around with a child, begging for money. She was last seen getting into a Chevy Silverado. The caller said there was no car seat for the child.
Thursday, October 27
Disturbance, Noise—6:01 a.m.—Montecito Road—The caller said an unspecified number of individuals were smoking cigarettes on their balcony talking loudly and using profanities. The caller said they were new renters that had just moved into the Rossmoor Park Condominiums. According to the log, as of 6:36 a.m., the smokers had gone inside and closed the door. Matter solved.
Suspicious Vehicle 6:45 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a man was parked on the northbound side of Pacific Coast Highway, near a docked ship, talking on his cell phone. Police unit 107 determined the driver had a dead battery. Police contacted Expert Towing. No further police services were necessary.
Dead Animal—8:0p a.m.—Bayou Way—The caller said a dead crow was pushed against the curb in the street.
Possible Traffic Hazard—8:48 a.m.—Electric Avenue and 12th Street—The caller said drivers were trying to avoid a sign in the middle of the 12th Street that said “no through traffic.” The caller did not think the sign belonged there and was misplaced. Police unit M7 determined that the sign was due to construction. No further police services were necessary.
Found Gun—3:10 a.m.—17th Street—The caller, relaying second-hand information, said a tenant found a loaded 9mm Luger with an extra clip.
The tenant apparently didn’t know how to handle the gun or put the safety on. The caller was the owner of the duplex. Police unit 107 took the property for safe keeping. According to the log, it is in the Seal Beach Police Department property room. Report taken.
Friday, October 28
Vehicle Burglary—7:01 a.m.—Ocean Avenue—The crime apparently occurred between 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, and the time of the call to police. Loss: a rolling brief case, a computer, camera files and a planner. Point of entry: a smashed rear passenger window on the driver’s side. Report taken.
Vehicle Burglary—8:01 a.m.—14th Street—The crime apparently occurred between 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, and the time of the call to police. Loss: a briefcase. Point of entry: a smashed rear passenger window.
Welfare Check—12:25 p.m.—Electric Avenue—The caller requested a check on the well being of an individual living on Electric Avenue. The caller last heard from the individual a few weeks earlier. The line at the man’s residence had been disconnected.
Police unit 107 found the residence vacant and the property for sale. The caller was so advised.
Grand Theft Report—6:52 p.m.—Main Street—The caller said someone took the caller’s wallet that was left in a drawer. The crime apparently occurred between 3:30 and 5 p.m. The wallet contained cash.
The amount of money in the wallet was blacked out in the log. However, to qualify as grand theft the stolen property would have to be worth more than $950.
Saturday, October 29
Injured Animal—1:24 a.m.—Lampson Avenue and Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller was driving southbound on Seal Beach Boulevard and hit two dogs.
One dog was still laying on the ground. It was unknown if the dog was alive. Long Beach Animal Care Services was en route.
Animal control officers extracted the dog from under the car. Log entry.
Bike Theft—8:35 a.m.—First Street—The crime may have occurred over night. Loss: a brown Trek bike with a leather seat valued at $750. Report taken.
Bike Theft—10:06 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The crime apparently occurred between Thursday, Oct. 28 and 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 29. The bike was described as red and black. The bike was valued at $300.
Sunday, October 30
Drunk—3:01 a.m.—Main Street—The caller saw a woman by herself who attempted to drive off. The caller was afraid for her safety. Police unit 206 arrested her for public drunkenness.
Possible Transient—7:30 a.m.—Electric Avenue and Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said a man was camped out in the gazebo area with his dog. Police unit 107 advised the man that camping wasn’t allowed there.
The man apparently said he would comply.
Animal Information—1:01 p.m.—Ocean Avenue—The caller said a seagull was tied up in fishing wire. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Services.
Animal Information—4:16 p.m.—College Park Drive—The caller said a rottweiler was off its leash. The caller said she would do something to the dog if it went after someone. The exact nature of her threat was blacked out in the log. The caller refused Long Beach Animal Control Services and said the police needed to handle the situation.
Unit 106 found the dog was on a leash when the officer arrived. A group of baseball players agreed to keep it that way.
Possible Transient—4:27 p.m.—Electric Avenue and 10th Street—An individual described as a transient with a dog was reportedly setting up camp on the Greenbelt. Police unit 106 advised him he couldn’t do that and he said he would comply.
IN LEISURE WORLD
Monday, October 24
Smoke—5:06 p.m.—Burning Tree Lane, Mutual 1—The caller’s residence was filling with smoke. The fire alarm was going off. The Orange County Fire Authority was en route. The fire was out by 5:12 p.m. The source: a toaster.
IN ROSSMOOR
Monday, October 31
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—12:41 a.m.—Tigertail Drive and Montecito Road—The log provided no further details.
Disturbance—4:05 p.m.—Walker Lee Drive and Foster Road—A deputy checked Walker Lee Drive for juveniles riding a go-cart in the street.
Drunk in Public—8:17 p.m.—Montecito Road—The caller reported a teenage boy in a sports costume throwing up in the front yard of the caller’s residence. Several other teens stood around him.
Disturbance, Juveniles—8:28 p.m.—Montecito Road and Loring Drive—The caller said 150 juveniles were in the street and blocking traffic. According to the log, the juveniles were present because a local house had a haunted maze.
Suspicious Circumstances—9:24 p.m.—Shakespeare Drive—An Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy looked for an unspecified number of individuals running around the construction area of Rossmoor Elementary, setting off fireworks there.
Disturbance—9:33 p.m.—Loring Drive and Montecito Road—A deputy performed a patrol check for a man who reportedly hit another person in the face. The victim didn’t want a report, but flagged down a deputy anyway.
Tuesday, November 1
Suspicious Circumstances—12:16 p.m.—Wallingsford Road and Hedwig Road—The caller said a woman was pushed out of a brown truck. She was up and said she was OK. The caller did not know if it was a domestic disturbance. She was last seen walking away from Wallingsford on Foster.
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—5:09 p.m.—Martha Ann Drive and Woodstock Road—The caller thought two men—described as either Hispanic or Filipino—were casing the neighborhood. The caller last saw them in a teal colored Chevy SUV, making a left onto Martha Ann from St. Albans. The log did not say why the caller thought they were suspicious.
Wednesday, November 2
Traffic Hazard—9:21 a.m.—Copa De Oro Drive and Montecito Road. —A deputy requested a crew to pick up drywall that was in the roadway.
Burglary Report—5:15 p.m.—Silver Fox Road—A citizen called the Orange County Sheriff’s Department about missing jewelry.
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—7:01 p.m.—Norgrove Lane—A deputy performed a patrol check for an occupied Honda Prelude with tinted windows.
Thursday, November 3
Suspicious Circumstances—4:56 a.m.—Quail Run Road—The caller reported smelling marijuana coming from a neighbor’s residence.
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—4:49 p.m.—Druid Lane—A deputy performed a patrol check for a black man sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle with an unknown license plate. The caller said the vehicle had been present for 20-30 minutes. The log did not say why the caller thought the man was suspicious.
Friday, November 4
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—1:11 a.m.—Mainway Drive—The log provided no details.
Suspicious Person—5:40 a.m.—Wallingsford Road—A citizen saw someone walking on the side of the citizen’s house an hour earlier and wanted a patrol check of the area.
Burglary Report—3:01 p.m.—Montecito Road—The log provided no further details.
Saturday, November 5
Suspicious Circumstances—1:01 p.m.—Chianti Drive—The log provided no further details.
