Crime: When A 'Prowler' Bothers to Knock

Someone knocking on the door in the early, early morning can a bit unnerving, especially if one doesn't know his neighbors.

According to the blotter of the Orange County Sheriff's Department, deputies were notified of a prowler who was pounding on the front door of a Rancho Santa Margarita residence for 20 minutes straight. The man at the door also attempted to get inside the apartment unit.

Deputies conducted a search of the complex, nearby Arroyo Vista School and park before finally meeting up with the informant. Their search for the prowler yielded no results.

About 54 minutes after the initial call, which was made to 9-1-1 on Thursday at 1:18 a.m., the man was at it again—pounding on the door.

It turned out the 'prowler' was a neighbor trying to alert the informant of a water leak into a downstairs unit.

9-1-1 hangup, Wednesday, 9:20 p.m.

Sniper activity? It’s only the CHP

Some gunshots heard near Banderas and Empresa attracted the attention of a man who was apparently in the wrong place at the right time.

The 9-1-1 operator received a call from a man who was out of breath and reported hearing two gunshots across the street from Cox Communications.

The man reported seeing a white limousine and a trailer truck, and he wasn’t sticking around at the site to see who the gunfire played out.

The sound of gunshots were real. The California Highway Patrol advised deputies it was conducting a K9 demonstration and they were responsible for the sniper activity.

The call was made from the 29900 block of Banderas on Thursday, 6:49 p.m.

Taking it out on the dentist

There was an eventful day at Santa Margarita Dental Group, and not just because of cavities, fillings and X-rays.

A man called 9-1-1 to report he had received a threat from the boyfriend of a woman who had been fired earlier in the day. According to the informant, the woman’s boyfriend threatened to “come after” him.

The call was made Thursday, 4:40 p.m., from the 22100 block of El Paseo.

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The following is a summary of selected calls from Rancho Santa Margarita to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on March 20-21, 2013.

Disturbance, Thursday, 11:48 p.m., on Via Amistosa. Two upstairs/downstairs neighbors were disturbing the peace.

Traffic stop, Thursday, 11:40 p.m., at Santa Margarita Parkway and Antonio. A woman was arrested, apparently after violating her probation, during a stop in which deputies requested a drug-sniffing dog.  Yenell Renae Austin is in custody at Central Women’s Jail on $25,000 bail.

Disturbance—mechanical, Thursday, 9:01 p.m., from Via Corbina. A caller reported a loud tile saw. After receiving the complaint, the man with the tile saw shut down operations for the night at 9:17 p.m.

Suspicious person/circumstances, Thursday, 5:35 p.m., from Antonio Parkway and Meandering Trail. An informant reported seeing a white van on the side of the road with its passenger door open and a man laying face down in the nearby bushes.

Welfare check, Thursday, 4:02 p.m., on Rosa. A request was made to check on the welfare of a woman who has a history of suicide threats; she suffers from depression and was apparently coming off some hallucinogens. 

Accident—non injury, Thursday, 1:09 a.m., Antonio and Banderas. Someone ran over a fire hydrant.

Suspicious person in vehicle, Wednesday, 7:39 p.m., on San Angelo. A caller reported a white Ford Escape—filled with passengers—were in the guest parking area. The vehicle and its occupants were unknown to the area.

Welfare check, Wednesday, 4:12 p.m., Santa Margarita Parkway and Antonio Parkway. An informant reported two children—an infant and a 4-year-old—were left unattended in a Toyota Camry with the windows rolled up.

Petty theft report, Wednesday, 4:01 p.m., 21500 block of Plano Trabuco. A report of cosmetics were taken a week earlier from the CVS Pharmacy.

Welfare check, Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Tesoro Creek Road. It was reported a male student had run away from home three days earlier after having an argument with his mother, and he was scared that she would beat him up after getting him from Tesoro High.

Disturbance, Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., 100 block of Morning Glory.  A woman and her ex-husband got into a verbal argument over the man taking her vehicle without her permission. The woman eventually sought refuge  by locking herself in the bathroom.  However, the 33-year-old woman was taken into custody for alleged domestic violence.

Disturbance, Wednesday, 7:52 a.m., 22400 block of Alma Aldea. The mother of a 16-year-old boy locked herself in her room while her son tore up the house. The boy had refused to take medication for his depression.

This report was culled from the Orange County Sheriff's website. Not all facts in each report are made public; the outcome of the report, as well as the facts, may differ from the original blotter item. All items are alleged to have occurred. There should be no assumption of guilt based on this limited information.