Police search for clues in Ontario crime sprees

By JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Wednesday, December 3, 2008 10:26 AM PST

ONTARIO — The Ontario Police Department is asking residents to take certain precautions following a rash of burglaries and thefts.

OPD Capt. Mark Alexander reported Monday three vehicle break-ins, two burglaries and an attempted burglary occurred since Saturday. By Tuesday, police reported three more vehicle break-ins and yet another business burglary.

Of the newest reported vehicle break-ins, the first was reported at 10 a.m. Monday from the Cascade Natural Gas office, 46 S.W. Second St., Ontario. Alexander said two radios — one mobile and one portable, worth about $400, were stolen out of a 2005 Chevy van, which may not have been locked. A second incident, reported at about noon Monday, took place sometime during the weekend, when a radio, worth $200, was stolen out of a 2005 Chevy van parked at Project Dove, 585 N.W. First St. Alexander said there was no evidence of a forced entry in either incident.

The third incident was reported at about 2:15 p.m. Monday in the 500 block of N.W. 10th Drive. Alexander said an iPod, school books and two cell phones were reported stolen from the vehicle in question.

“In this case the owner said the vehicle was locked,” he said. “So maybe someone has a way of getting into these cars.”

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Alexander reminded area residents to keep their belongings out of sight if they are stored in cars and to lock vehicle doors. He also recommended people call police if they see anything suspicious taking place.

He also recommended drivers not leave keys in cars following a report of a car theft from the 1100 block of Lilac Lane reported at 6:40 a.m. Tuesday in which a 1998 red Dodge pickup was stolen. The pickup had personalized license plates, “AELU.”

Alexander said, the latest incident of burglary was reported Monday at 7:45 a.m. at Dr. Allen’s chiropractic office at 1193 S.W. Fourth Ave. Alexander said the suspect or suspects forced entry through a back door and went through items in the office and scattered things about sometime during the weekend. In this situation, nothing appeared to have been stolen.

“We are trying to focus our patrols on attempting to catch any suspects, and we want people to be aware of the increases and take precautions so they don’t become victims and to report crimes to us,” Alexander said.

The city is also in the middle of another increase in graffiti cases. Alexander said 11 cases of graffiti, all gang-related, on Northwest First Street in Ontario, were reported Monday morning. By Tuesday morning, he said, OPD received reports of six more cases in the alley between Northwest First and Second Streets. Alexander said, while police think some of crimes are related, he does not know if the string of crimes all together, is related.

“I think the natural assumption is to believe the thefts are connected, and the natural assumption on the graffiti is those are connected,” he said. “We don’t know if the three classifications of crimes are connected or not. We are having a string of three different sets of crimes that all happened the past few days.”

Alexander asks anyone with any information about any of the crimes to contact OPD and said people with information can also take advantage of the police department’s anonymous tip line at (541) 881-3213.