The last week of the holiday season was a busy one for Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies, especially on New Year’s Eve. They are cracking down on crime as 2014 gets underway.

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Miguel Velasquez, 22, was apprehended by the CDC Special Services Unit from the Rancho Cucamonga on Friday evening, 19 hours after he had left Acton Conservation Camp #11, where he was serving seven-year, eight-month sentence.

Deputies are investigating a case of vandalism at Castaic Elementary School that occurred between Dec. 23 and Dec. 29. The suspect(s) poured floor stripped throughout a music classroom, discharged a fire extinguisher and wrote a hateful message on the whiteboard.

A garage fire in Canyon Country on Monday afternoon prompted response from several local fire stations, but the fire was put out within an hour and resulted in less than $30,000 of damage.

As of Tuesday, Bryce Laspisa, the Laguna Niguel teen who went missing in Castaic on Aug. 30 still had not been found, but his family has hired a private investigator to continue the search.

On Tuesday, New Year’s Eve, local deputies saw a rise in calls–more than 150 between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. Most were complaints of loud music, but arrests were also made for assault and drunk driving.

Three Los Angeles gang members accused of bank robbery and leading deputies in a chase from Canyon Country to downtown Los Angeles in September 2012, should have a jury by the middle of next week.

Last week’s crime reports are listed below, in alphabetical order by community as they are made available.

Canyon Country east

Last week, the following Part 1 crimes occurred in Canyon Country east:

(4) Residential Burglaries, (1) Commercial Burglary, (2) Vehicle Burglaries, (2) Grand Theft Autos.

A residential burglary occurred near the 17400 block of Blue Aspen Way. In this incident the suspect(s) broke into a vehicle parked in the victim’s driveway and used the garage door opener to gain access to the garage. Once inside the garage the suspect entered another vehicle and found a key to a third vehicle that was parked on the street in front of the house. The suspect then took the 2013 Mazda 3, which was parked on the street. The vehicle was later recovered near the intersection of Jakes Way/Sandy Drive.

Another burglary was reported near the 27000 block of Brown Oaks Way. In this incident the suspect(s) gained entry into the master bedroom window. The suspects stole several thousand dollars worth of jewelry.

A grand theft occurred near the 18000 block of Sundowner Way. In this incident the victim believed that he left his garage door open while away for a few days. When he returned home he discovered that several of his items were missing including DVD’s, luggage and game consoles.

There have been several vehicle burglaries reported near the Lost Canyon, Fair Oaks Ranch Area. One of these incidents occurred on English Oak Court. Items were stolen from the center console area form a vehicle parked on the street. Please remember to conceal or remove any visible items from your vehicles after you park them.

Canyon Country west

This past week in Zone 7, the following Part-1 Crimes occurred:

(1) Aggravated Assault, (2) Residential Burglaries, (2) Commercial Burglaries, (1) Vehicle Burglary, (3) Thefts From Unlocked Vehicles, (3) Shoplift, (1) Grand Theft, (2) Petty Thefts and (1) GTA.

An aggravated assault occurred near the 26800 block of Claudette Street. Deputies, responding to the location regarding a domestic violence incident, arrested a male and female after an altercation became physical. The case is currently under investigation by Santa Clarita Station detectives.

A residential burglary occurred near the 20400 block of Soledad Canyon Road. Unknown suspects entered the residence and took several electronic items. There were no signs of forced entry.

A commercial burglary occurred near the 18500 block of Soledad Canyon Road. Upon arriving to work, the owner noticed the front door to the business was unlocked. The unknown suspect(s) pried open a cash register and took an undetermined amount of U.S. Currency.

A vehicle burglary occurred near the 18000 block of Beneda Lane. The victim’s front and rear passenger windows were both shattered with an unknown object. The vehicle was ransacked and it was unknown at the time of the report, if anything was taken.

A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred near the 19600 block of Pleasantdale Street. The victim’s purse was taken from the center console of the vehicle.

A petty theft/shoplift occurred near the 26400 block of Carl Boyer Drive. A male suspect was detained by loss prevention personnel when he walked out of the location, failing to pay for a television. The suspect was subsequently arrested by responding Santa Clarita Station deputies.

A grand theft occurred near the 16400 block of Sierra Highway. Unknown suspects scaled the walls of the location and attempted to take several battery chargers. The suspects were able to steal a winch, which was taken from a trailer located inside the yard of the location.

A petty theft occurred near the 27500 block of Camp Plenty Road. An item delivered in a UPS package was taken from the victim’s front porch.

A GTA occurred near the 17900 block of Sierra Highway. A 2011 Chevrolet HHR was taken from the parking lot of the location. The vehicle was recovered the following day by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.

Castaic/Val Verde

There were two Part 1 Crimes in Zone 2. One residential burglary was reported on San Martinez Road in Val Verde. The suspect entered the residence through a locked rear door. Two flat screen TVs, and two PlayStation consoles were stolen.

A theft from a vehicle was reported in Castaic. Personal items were taken.

Newhall

A look back at the crimes reported in the Newhall area last week.

A male victim had his wallet stolen while he walking on Walnut Street at 11:30 a.m., near 24800 block. The victim and two witnesses described the suspects as two male Hispanics in their mid-20’s. The suspect’s vehicle was described as a newer model, gray 4 door sedan, possibly a Toyota.

Two commercial burglaries were reported. On Dec. 28. A shoplift burglary was reported in the 24300 block of Main Street. Then on Dec. 29, a window smash burglary occurred in the 25200 block of Wiley Canyon Road.

One vehicle burglary was reported at an apartment complex in the 23600 block of Meadowridge Drive. A window was smashed, and the victim’s wallet was stolen.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 29, a fight occurred in the 22500 block of 8th Street, resulting in an assault being reported.

Overall crime in the Newhall “Zone 6” area this year is down significantly. The drop in crime can partially be attributed to public awareness and crime prevention. Keep locking your doors, securing and concealing your personal property, look out for each other, and have a great 2014.

Saugus

This week we had three reported Part-1 crimes. The first was a residential burglary in the 28600 block of Kathleen Avenue between Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. The victim discovered that items had been stolen out of her purse which had been left at the residence. After checking the rest of her residence she discovered other items missing. Detectives are working the case.

There was a grand theft from the 22100 block of Emplino Lane between Dec. 21 and Dec. 23. The victim discovered that multiple parts had been stolen off her vehicle including the front bumper, headlights, tail lamps and front passenger seat. Detectives are attempting to locate the stolen vehicle parts and possible suspect.

We had a petty theft from the 28300 block of Hidden Hills Drive between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. The victim discovered that multiple items had been stolen out of the back of his work truck overnight.

There were multiple arrests over the past week in the Saugus area. The arrests include assault, narcotics, drunk in public and DUI.

Stevenson Ranch/Westridge

This past week in Zone 3, the following Part-1 Crimes occurred:

(1) Aggravated Assault, (1) Commercial Burglary, (1) Vehicle Burglary, (1) Theft From An Unlocked Vehicle, (1) Gym Locker Burglary, (3) Shoplift, (1) Grand Theft and (1) Petty Theft.

An aggravated assault (domestic violence incident) occurred near the intersection of Pine Valley and Sycamore Meadow Drive. A male suspect used his vehicle as a weapon and attempted to run the victim off of the road. After a thorough investigation by responding deputies, the suspect was located and subsequently arrested. The case is currently under investigation by Santa Clarita Station detectives.

A commercial burglary occurred near the 25200 block of The Old Road. An unknown suspect forced open an outdoor patio door and pried open two cash registers. At the time of the report, it was undetermined if anything was taken.

A vehicle burglary occurred near the 25300 block of Chiquella Lane. An unknown suspect shattered the rear driver’s side passenger window in order to gain entry into the vehicle. Two purses were taken from the vehicle, one which was located on top of the rear seat and the other on the floorboard of the front passenger seat.

A theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred near the 24900 block of Pico Canyon Road. The suspect took the victim’s wallet and then used the victim’s debit cards at undisclosed businesses.

A gym locker burglary occurred at the L.A. Fitness located at 24945 Pico Canyon Road. An unknown suspect entered the men’s locker and pried open the victim’s locker, taking his backpack containing the victim’s wallet and additional miscellaneous items.

There were three incidents of shoplifting near the 25400 block of The Old Road. During the incidents, two suspects were arrested by responding deputies after being detained by loss prevention personnel.

A grand theft occurred near the 25500 block of The Old Road. An unknown suspect took the catalytic converter from underneath the victim’s vehicle. The vehicle was parked in the lot of a local hotel.

Valencia

Zone 5-Valencia had eighteen Part-1 Crimes reported during the past week. The criminal incidents included a grand theft auto, battery on a person, commercial burglaries, and shoplifting from local businesses.

A grand theft auto occurred on the 23600 block of Big Sky Walk during the week at 2 p.m. The vehicle, a 1996 Honda/Accord, was locked and parked in the parking lot. No witnesses or suspect(s) have been identified in this report.

A battery on a person occurred on the 27700 block of Smyth Drive at 12:45 p.m. During a hockey game, the victim was approached by the suspect, a female 20 years old. A verbal argument led to a fist fight, whereas, the victim was slapped in the face. The victim sustained slight redness to her face with no other injuries observed. The suspect left the location prior to the Deputy’s arrival. The investigation is ongoing.

Two commercial burglaries occurred on the 23300 block of Valencia Boulevard between the hours of 4:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Both locations had the cash registers containing large amounts of money stolen. Entry and exit was made by smashing the front window of the location. No witnesses or suspect(s) were located.

I urge everyone to please take careful steps to not become a victim. If you are out and about in the evening, try and park your vehicles in well-lit areas. Be mindful of your surroundings. Take personal belongings with you when you exit your vehicle or secure items in locked trunks. Do not place items underneath vehicle seats or cover them with clothing apparel. Remember to roll up all windows and lock doors before walking away from your vehicle. Do not leave valuables such as purses, wallets or cell phones unattended in public areas like shopping carts, benches or counters.

If you see any suspicious activity, please call the Sheriff’s Station immediately at 661-255-1121.

There were multiple arrests made this past week by proactive Santa Clarita Deputies assigned to the Valencia area. Arrests included petty theft, under the influence of narcotics, drunk in public, and shoplifting from local businesses.

Related Article: Missing Inmate Who ‘Walked Away’ From Fire Camp Captured By Authorities

Related Article: Castaic Elementary School Music Classroom Vandalized

Related Article: Firefighters Make Quick Work Of Residential Fire In Canyon Country

Related Article: Private Investigator Hired To Find Bryce Laspisa Still Searching

Related Article: Santa Clarita Sheriff Deputies See Uptick In Calls For New Year’s

Related Article: Santa Clarita Bank Robbery Trial Should Have Jury By Next Week

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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