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Steve Propes

Sunday, January 1

200 block of Obispo Ave. After seeing in 2017, an apartment house resident parked her car in the garage at 1:30 a.m. A half hour later, a neighbor yelled at her window that her trunk and car doors were wide open. She didn’t hear him and didn’t discover the problem until first light in the morning. Taken were two bikes and some computer equipment. A neighbor saw a male “with older features” riding a bike in the area. A connection to this early 2017 crime is unknown.

5500 block of Dairy Avenue. At 7:25 p.m., Long Beach Fire units responded to reports of a structure fire with heavy smoke and fire coming from an apartment on the 1st floor of a two story garden style apartment complex with six units. Firefighters initiated an aggressive fire attack and performed primary search operations. Unfortunately, during this search, a body of a male patient was found and paramedics determined him deceased. Prior to the arrival of fire department units, a 28-year-old male jumped from a second-story balcony to escape the fire and sustained extremity injuries that required transport to the hospital. Two apartment units were damaged, displacing a family of five.

1300 block of Termino Ave. At 8:30 p.m., a one-time resident of the block drove by and saw an SUV parked in front of where he used to live. Inside was a stiff looking figure garbed in a flannel shirt. He shined a light on the figure, which didn’t move, so he called 911 to report either a down person or someone having sex. A fire truck arrived, and through a flashlight aimed inside, it was determined to be a ladder with a flannel shirt laying upon it. As fire left, the cops arrived, made a similar discovery and went on their way, as the flannel clad ladder had already rung in the new year.

Monday, January 2

5400 block of Village Rd. At 2 a.m., a burglar smashed the window of Studio Delucca, custom jeweler, taking various stones and items of jewelry. One person was seen coming out of the window and getting into a dark SUV. The smashed front glass window was finally replaced on Jan. 13. Proprietor Khobe Delucca said, “No people were harmed, things can be replaced. My motivation is suffering. It was devastating to my business.” To that extent, a https://www.gofundme.com/studio-delucca-recovery-fund has been established.

200 block of East Artesia Boulevard. At 5:15 a.m., a resident shot and killed a suspected burglar. Police responded to a call reporting a shooting and when they arrived, found 29-year-old Andrew Deleon suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper body. The resident who shot Deleon was detained by officers, who preliminarily indicated the resident acted in self-defense during a burglary. The Long Beach Fire Department transported Deleon to a local hospital, where he later was pronounced dead.

300 block of W. Ocean Blvd. At 9:51 p.m., when firefighters responded to a manual fire alarm on the sixth floor of an apartment building, they encountered a hostile man. When he threatened to burn down the building, it became a barricade situation on the top floor of the building. At 2 a.m., police took the suspect, who suffered minor burns, 52-year-old Richard Vanuum into custody. Portions of the building were evacuated and there was moderate fire damage to the sixth floor apartment.

Wednesday, January 4

Belmont Pier area. Neighbors who caught a burglary suspect in the area released him near the pier at about 11 a.m., causing local cops to mount a search to re-nab the guy.

Monday, January 9

1800 block of Ximeno Avenue. Police were called at about 4:20 p.m. to check out a suspicious package. About a half dozen black and whites went to the scene. In setting up a containment zone, traffic was disrupted in this busy shopping area. At 6:30 p.m., the Long Angeles County Sheriff’s bomb squad arrived to the scene and shortly after that arrival, the area was deemed safe for shoppers, diners and passing motorists alike.

Wednesday, January 11

Obispo Avenue near Third Street. In the late afternoon, a resident returned home to find a police officer and a neighbor at the door step. There had been a theft of a very specialized item, useful to some in the parenting game. “Apparently, two men stole my package of baby diapers off my porch and my neighbor called the police.” They left in a white two door Infiniti. The neighbor saw the same car “about 30 minutes after she arrived home and watched them take my package. One man was driving and came slowly to a stop. The other man hopped out and grabbed my package and put it in the car.” The grabber was described as Hispanic in his early 20s, garbed in a dark shirt and jeans.

steve@beachcomber.news

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