Village Peddler Bicycle Store Targeted By Thieves in Larkspur

There were a few gasps in the audience at City Hall during Wednesday's Larkspur City Council meeting when Mayor Larry Chu announced he received police reports of a series of burglary attempts at the Village Peddler.

The bicycle shop has been hit three times recently and two bicycles have been stolen.

"It's a pain because it means I have to be here boarding up the door at midnight when I'd rather be with my family," said store owner Steve Wilson.

A resident near the Village Peddler bicycle store, located at 1111 Magnolia Ave., reported via 9-1-1 he heard glass breaking. He went to check the business and located a smashed window. Twin Cities Police Units responded and checked the interior of the business with negative results. It was determined a black Santa Cruz Nomad Mt Bike valued at $5,199 was stolen.

While on patrol, a TCPD Officer located another window smashed to the rear of the Village Peddler. The interior was searched with the assistance of the Novato Police Department K-9 unit with negative results. It was determined there was no loss at this time.

• A resident in the 400 block of Elm Street reported that she is hearing male voices next door in a vacant house. Twin Cities Police contacted two subjects in the 300 block of Elm Street. They were identified and released. An unsecured door was located at the vacant residence. The interior was checked and all appeared in order. A report was taken for documentation.

• A resident in the 700 block of Meadowsweet Drive reported that someone attempted to break into her car. She advised the lock is broken to her door. However, when the Officer responded, they were unable to locate the caller. An attempt was made to contact the caller and a message was left on her voicemail. The Officer checked the area and could not find a vehicle with any damage.

• A call was received from the San Francisco Police Department reporting they had several subjects in custody who are in possession of mail with Corte Madera addresses. TCPD Units made contact with eight different victims in our jurisdiction. Reports were taken and SFPD was advised.

• A Petaluma resident reported that while his vehicle was parked in the lot at the Golden Gate Ferry Terminal, it was entered and his 18 speed red Specialized Evo Expert mountain bike, valued at $4500, was taken from the back seat of his truck. An Auto Burglary report was taken to document the theft.

• A Larkspur resident called and advised that he is at the Corte Madera Department of Motor Vehicles trying to replace the license plates on his motor home that had been stolen, but that DMV is requiring a report to issue new plates. A courtesy report for “Lost/Stolen” license plates was taken and the license plate number was entered into the Stolen Vehicle System.

• A resident of the 100 block of Larkspur Plaza Drive reported that sometime within the past five weeks someone used black spray paint to cover her license plate number. The vandalism was not witnessed and she did not have any suspect information. The vandalism was documented.

• Pursuant to being contacted by a TCPD Officer in the 400 block of Magnolia Avenue, a Kentfield man was determined to be Intoxicated in a Public Place. He was arrested and booked into the Marin County Jail.

• TCPD Officers responded along with the Larkspur Fire Department to the CVS Pharmacy in the Bon Air Shopping Center for a 9-1-1 report of a female in pain on the floor screaming. Officers contacted a Larkspur female who was not in medical distress, but having a temper tantrum. After being medically cleared at the Marin General Hospital Emergency Room, she was arrested and booked into the Marin County Jail for Commercial Burglary, Prescription Fraud, and being Intoxicated in a Public Place.

• A resident in the 90 block of Mariner Green Drive reported that he had parked his vehicle near his residence and when he got into it this morning, all of his gas had been siphoned out. The theft was unwitnessed and there are no suspects. The theft was documented.

• A business in the Village Shopping Center reported approximately five minutes ago a pair of Dior sunglasses 4275, valued at $275, was taken. The theft was unwitnessed, but there is surveillance video. The suspect is a male in his 40's and was with a female subject. They noticed another pair of Dior sunglasses had also been taken, valued at $325. Documentation of the theft was provided.

• A caller reported at the pump station across from the 50 block of San Clemente Drive, there are two subjects in the bushes who were using drugs or selling drugs. TCPD Units contacted two Corte Madera men and a Pasadena man. The subjects were identified and a small amount of marijuana was taken for destruction.

• A caller in the area of Redwood Avenue and Corte Madera Avenue reported that a vehicle struck the light pole, causing it to fall and break, and then left the scene. They advised the vehicle was now parked at Colonial Liquors on Tamalpais Drive. Officers located the vehicle with front end damage. The driver, Nicholas Hadden Busch of San Francisco, was contacted and determined to be intoxicated. He was arrested for Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol, Hit and Run and Providing False Information to a Police Officer and booked into the Marin County Jail.

• A caller called on behalf of his grandfather, a resident in the 90 block of Cielo Drive. He advised his grandfather received a phone call where the person stated he was in trouble and needed money sent to him. They have determined this was an attempted scam and no money was sent. The incident was documented.

• Officers responded to the 400 block of Elm Avenue on the report via 9-1-1 of a male driving erratically for the last 30 minutes and that he just crashed into something. The caller advised the vehicle was last heard crashing into something in the 300 block of Elm Ave. Units located the vehicle and the involved subject in that area. A Larkspur man, after it was determined there was no crash, was arrested for being Intoxicated in a Public Place and booked into the Marin County Jail.

• A resident in the 100 block of Ardmore Road reported that his unlocked vehicle was entered. Taken was a money clip containing $70 cash, two debit cards, a gas card, and his Driver’s License. Documentation of the Theft was provided.

• A resident of the 100 block of Magnolia Avenue reported receiving a call stating "hi grandma, I have a broken nose that's why you probably don't recognize my voice" and requesting $2,350 be sent to New Mexico via Madrid, Spain. The caller recognized the call as a scam and disconnected. Documentation of the incident was provided.

• A resident of the 700 block of Via Casitas reported that she parked and locked her bicycle in the mail room yesterday. Today, she discovered the lock cut and the bicycle is missing. The bicycle is a black Columbia bicycle, valued at $250. Documentation of the theft was provided.

• The Bank of America, located at 663 Tamalpais Drive, called to report that a male subject in his 60's was at the teller counter attempting to withdraw $3,300 from an account that isn't his, using a false identification card. TCPD Officers contacted an Oakland man who was arrested for Possession of False Identification, Possession of Stolen Property, Commercial Burglary, Identity Theft and Providing False Information to a Police Officer. He was booked into the Marin County Jail.

• Pursuant to being contacted by an Officer in the area of the Safeway store in the Corte Madera Town Center, a Greenbrae man was arrested for being Intoxicated in a Public Place. He was booked into the Marin County Jail.

• A resident in the 10 block of Flying Cloud Course reported that her garage was egged and some of the egg splattered onto one of the vehicles. Extra Patrol will be provided as this is the fourth incident since May. The vandalism was documented.

• A resident in the 100 block of Via La Cumbre reported that she received a phone call from someone offering a free medical card if she would give him her information. She recognized this was a scam phone call and hung up without giving the caller any of her information. The incident was documented.

• A caller in the 10 block of Pixley Avenue reported that her vehicle was entered through an unlocked passenger door. Her wallet was taken out of her purse and found on the ground outside the driver's door. Taken was a Bank of Marin debit card and she has closed the account. Documentation was provided for the theft.

• Pursuant to a traffic stop in the Corte Madera Town Center, a TCPD Officer arrested a Willets man and a San Francisco man for Possession of Narcotics. They were booked into the Marin County Jail.

• A resident in the 400 block of Larkspur Plaza Drive reported via 9-1-1 that a female neighbor has been going in and out of her residence, slamming doors, and yelling at someone. The subject's boyfriend also called and requested to speak to an Officer. A Larkspur woman was arrested for Domestic Battery and booked into the Marin County Jail.

• A resident of the 1800 building at Larkspur Landing Circle called to report the theft of power tools from his locked storage shed in the underground parking garage. The loss is over $2,000. A Residential Burglary report was taken to document the theft.

• A resident of the 300 block of Via La Cumbre reported the theft of mail from their mailbox. They advised they observed the passenger of a Black Subaru station wagon with a black stripe on the tailgate take the mail from the mailbox. The incident was documented.

• A restaurant in the 500 block of Magnolia Avenue reported that a woman who was intoxicated left the business and got into a vehicle in the Larkspur Muni Lot. They advised the she told them she was going to her vehicle to call a family member to pick her up, but she is still sitting in the driver seat with the vehicle off. TCPD Units contacted a Petaluma woman who was arrested for being Intoxicated in a Public Place and booked into the Marin County Jail.

• A resident of the 200 block of Larkspur Plaza Drive reported that when she woke up this morning, her front door was open and her purse was missing from the living room. The purse contained her driver’s license, several credit cards and other miscellaneous contents. A report was taken to document the theft.

During this one week time period, Twin Cities Police had 305 calls for service. This included one call related to accidents with major injuries, one accident with minor injuries, six hit and run accidents and five property damage only accidents. There were two auto burglaries, two commercial burglaries and two residential burglaries. There was one call related to Driving while Intoxicated, resulting in one arrest.