Police Log: 300 Jr. High Kids Converge Downtown, Pervert Invitation, Unruly Rumpus

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

1:47am – It was a very bad morning for a young man who failed to yield at a yield sign at Chilpancingo Parkway and Hidden Lakes Drive. He was pulled over and it was discovered the car he was driving was stolen, and he was arrested for suspicion of being in possession of stolen property, burglary tools, and possession and sale of methamphetamine. 

6:18am – The log notes that 300 kids from Martinez Jr. High were scheduled to walk from school to the John Muir Amphitheater at 8:30 am for a performance by the Willows Theater. Two things about this: 1) Mayor Rob Schroder noted in his opening remarks to the kids that he was glad they didn’t break any windows on their way over, and 2) I spotted my stepson Max among the kids during this very walk, waved and shouted hello, and he looked away as though he never saw me before. That should be a crime, but I’m choosing not to file charges.

10:13am – We’re not sure what condensers are, but apparently three of them are worth $4,500. We know this because three were stolen from the side yard of Martinez Furniture Co. on Arnold Drive.

11:29am – A car and a motorcycle, both with expired registration, were reported parked at Arlington Way and Talbart Street. Parking is already challenging in that neighborhood, but on top of that, apparently at least one of the vehicles was leaking fluid all over the street.

1:18pm – A woman reported being on Rolling Hill Way and Center Avenue when a man in a dark colored shirt with his pants down made a lewd request. The vehicle was a dark blue 1980s style Japanese make, according to the log. Let’s hope police can find this guy, pull his pants up and invite him to visit a judge.

Thursday, May 10

4:16am – A resident of an apartment complex on Cedar Street noted a loud rumpus coming from a neighboring unit, in the form of banging. Not sure which unit was responsible for the rumpusing, she alerted the police, who investigated and found everything ok, rumpus-wise.

7:58am – More banging, this time construction-related, as a homeowner on Holiday Hills Drive reached out to officers to inform them that someone in the neighborhood was so excited about their construction project that they were starting at 7:30am. Police said everything checked out all right.

7:59am – A man in a red short sleeve shirt and khaki shorts discovered that having it your way at Burger King is fine, unless your way includes imbibing to vast excess and passing out in the restaurant on Alhambra Avenue. Police were glad to explain it to him in detail as he continued to get his beauty rest in the back of their cruiser on the way to jail.

8:39am – Someone noticed a man in a hospital gown and underwear in a wheelchair in front of Knowles Field on Alhambra Avenue and called police. The fashion-challenged wheelchair guy was last seen heading toward Highway Four, where it is assumed he would at least observe the “yield” sign.

9:18am – Who is in charge of stocking Hidden Lakes these days? A resident was fishing in one of the ponds there and fished out a Glock, which is an automatic pistol (Martinez Patch knows this because we listen to a lot of modern music in which Glocks are referenced). The person reporting this noted that the Glock was unloaded (how nice of them to check), and secondly, how does one hook a Glock? What kind of bait is recommended for automatic weaponry?

10:36am – Police received a complaint that a black BMW was taking up two parking places, including half of a handicapped spot, at the county Probation Department on Douglas Drive. Boy, it had to feel good to write that ticket.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

2:13am – A resident of a home on Escobar Street advised police that they had an unwanted guest who was refusing to leave despite repeated pleas to do so. Both the host and guest were less than entirely sober, according to the log. Police arrived and injected a note of sobriety into the situation.

10:18am – A group of protestors were reported in front of the Teamsters Union Hall on Alhambra Avenue, wearing dark glasses and hoodies, writing on the sidewalk with chalk and carrying “a sign about a male who is associated with Berkeley.” Just who that male was, or how or why he was associated with Berkeley and deserved a sunglasses-and-hoody-wearing protest, remains a mystery.

11:30am – A neighbor of Hidden Valley Elementary School on Glacier Drive phoned police to explain that an exercise “boot camp” occurs each Saturday morning, about 20 feet from the neighbor’s back yard, and the instructor apparently holds true to the expectations one has about boot camp instructors – there is a lot of shouting and yelling going on. Not to mention moaning and groaning from those recipients of the shouting and yelling.

1:05pm – A resident of Hidden Lakes Court reported that five juveniles with two gas-powered chain saws were busy cutting down oak trees in some open space near the property. The log reports that things checked out ok.

5:45pm – A fella known as “DJ” was reported out walking on the Canal Trail near Center Avenue and Gardenia Court. Apparently, he was the only one out walking that evening who chose to do so completely naked.

6:31pm – A person at US Gas on Alhambra Avenue was backed into by a woman with black hair in a blue pickup truck, who then drove off toward downtown. No injuries were sustained, and police took a report.

7:27pm – A resident of Talbart Street called police to advise that two men were attempting to push the windows of a nearby house open, and the caller did not believe the men lived there. One of the men decided it would be a good idea to urinate on the sidewalk.

9:36pm – A sharp-eyed resident of Sterling Drive called police about a suspicious young man on the porch of a vacant house. Shortly thereafter, a young man was arrested for suspicion of trespassing, burglary and vandalism.