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Find out what's happening in the city. Below is a list of current news releases.
While most people are spending their time during the holidays enjoying their friends and family, thieves are on the prowl for unsuspecting victims. The holidays are the prime season for robberies, home burglaries, and vehicle burglaries. Be careful not to get complacent with your daily activities during the holidays. By following a few simple rules, you will be armed to reduce your chances of becoming a victim. While you are out shopping, be aware of those around you. Con artists often take advantage of people’s generosity in order to scam them out of their hard-earned cash. Keep an eye on anyone hovering around you or following too closely. Be extra careful not to get distracted. Any distraction can give a thief an open opportunity to steal your belongings. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and don’t wear expensive jewelry. Take one credit card with you and leave the rest at home. If possible don’t carry a purse or backpack. Put your credit card, cell phone, and identification in your front pocket to reduce the likelihood that someone will pickpocket you in the large holiday crowds. Should you find that your credit card has been lost or stolen, cancel the credit card immediately. If you must shop alone, try to go during daylight hours. Never leave packages in your car. If you must carry packages with you, lock them in your trunk, where they are out of sight. Park in a well-lit parking lot and ask a security guard to accompany you to your car if it is dark outside or the lot is deserted. If children accompany you on your shopping trips, make sure they know your cell phone number by heart. Make sure your children know to go to a security guard or store employee if they get separated from you. Make sure to lock all of your doors and windows when you leave your home. Set the alarm if you have one and leave lights on if you plan to be out past dark. Make sure gifts and cash are not visible from any windows. If you will be gone for an extended period of time, have your neighbors watch your home for you. If they bring in your mail and newspapers everyday, it will not appear as if the house is empty. Also, put timers on both indoor and outdoor lights. For more information about preventing crime during the holidays, call the La Mesa Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445. Also, you will find valuable information on our website, including a video that explains home security, vehicle security and personal safety (www.cityoflamesa.com).
Car burglars have been targeting parked vehicles on Eastridge Hill and surrounding neighborhoods.
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Vehicle burglaries continue to be a huge problem for law enforcement and citizens alike. Many of the cases we see on a daily basis at the La Mesa Police Department are due to an attractive item being left in the vehicle. IPODS, GPS devices, cameras, laptops, cell phones and cash have all been reported stolen out of vehicles. It is important to note that the suspect was able to defeat the door locks or break windows in many of these cases!! Do not assume that simply locking your car doors is enough to scare a burglar away. Over the last month, many of the burglaries occured during the day when the victim is simply running errands or going to work. Shopping centers, medical facilities and gyms are all targets for car burglars due to the high volume of cars in one area. The thief simply looks into all the cars and breaks into the ones where valuables are visible. Several victims left their car for only a few minutes and returned to find their valuables stolen. In the last month we have also seen many residential neighborhoods become a target for car burglars during the overnight hours. In all of the cases, it was clear that the suspect was looking in car windows to see if there was anything worthwhile in plain sight. Make it a habit to: -Do not, under any circumstances, leave valuables in your car. Many innocent victims thought that they could “hide” their valuable electronic devices and wallets under the seat or in the trunk. Take everything with you when you exit your car, even if you will only be gone for a few minutes. -Set the alarm if you have one installed. -Use The Club or another steering wheel lock. -Park in a well-lit area. -If you park in your garage, close and lock the garage door. -Watch out for your neighbors vehicles. If you have any questions regarding vehicle security, please contact the Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445.
On July 28, 2008, the La Mesa Police Department received 2 calls regarding a scam. In both cases, the victim was an elderly female. The victims received phone calls from a young man claiming to be their grandson. The suspect then pleaded with the victims to wire him money because he was in trouble in Canada. In one case, he requested $3000 and the other $4000. Luckily, neither victim sent the man money. In one case, the grandmother decided to call her actual grandson on his cell phone to verify that the call came from him, which it didn’t. Many people learn the hard way that scam artists are becoming more and more sophisticated in their efforts to take advantage of people’s kindness. Never agree to send money, products or credit card numbers to anyone over the phone or in person. If you wish to give money to a relative or a charity, be sure that you contact them, rather than responding to a telephone call or letter. For any questions regarding scams, call the La Mesa Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445.
The La Mesa Police Department responded to 2 separate calls of a residential burglary in progress last night, July 23, 2008. The first occurred at approximately 1:00 AM on Vigo Drive on the West side of the city. The suspect entered through a window by cutting the screen. The suspect escaped out the back window after the homeowner confronted him inside the home. It is unknown at this time if there was any loss of valuables, but the entire house was ransacked in the process.
Suspect Description: Black Male Adult, 20-30 years old, approximately 6 feet tall with a medium build. The second incident occurred at approximately 4:00 AM on Elma Lane, only a few blocks from the first incident. In this case, the suspect again entered the home by cutting a window screen. The victim woke up when he heard noises. It is unknown if there was any valuables lost from the incident. There was no suspect description except that the person was wearing a dark jacket. Earlier that night, at approximately 11:45 PM, San Diego Police Department responded to a home on Revillo Way. The incident was identical to the others that occurred in the City of La Mesa. These incidents should serve as a reminder that home security is of the utmost importance. It is imperative to note that many people choose to leave their windows open at night during the hot summer months. However, keep in mind that home burglaries are often crimes of opportunity, where criminals are looking for easy targets. Don’t let an open window invite undesirable people into your home. Close and lock all windows at night while you are sleeping and when you are away from your home. If you have any questions about securing your home, please call the Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445.
The La Mesa Police Department has noticed a growing trend in vehicle thefts over the last 30 day period. Forty seven vehicles have been stolen city-wide. The majority, 42%, of these cars were early to mid 1990s Honda Civics and Accords. Seven Saturns and 9 Jeeps were also taken. The thefts were mainly from residential streets, driveways, apartment parking lots, occurring during late night or early morning hours. The losses were only slightly heavier on the north side of Interstate 8. There are several sensible and easy precautions you can take to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of vehicle theft: • Lock your doors and close the windows every time you leave your vehicle. • If using a remote locking device, make sure listen for and you hear the vehicle doors lock, or the alarm set “chirp”. There are devices out there that can block the frequency of these devices. • Never leave your car running when you walk away from it, even if you will only be gone a minute or two. • Park in well-lit areas close to your destination • When purchasing a car, add additional anti-theft options • Clubs, collars, or J-bars are all useful tools used for locking the steering wheel, column, or break. • Audible alarms are a great way to alert you and your neighbors that something is wrong. • If you leave your car in a parking lot with an attendant, only leave the vehicle key. Never leave your home or office keys on the key ring. • Now is a great time to clean out the garage and start parking your car inside behind closed, locked doors. • Don’t make your car attractive to thieves by leaving valuables inside. This includes after-market navigation devices. For more information about preventing vehicle theft, call the Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445.
The La Mesa Police Department has taken 2 reports since the beginning of April involving a scam advertising jobs for “secret shoppers.” A Secret Shopper is a person who purchases goods and services from companies and then rates the level of customer service they received during the transaction. While a Secret Shopper is a legitimate job, there are companies that are using the appeal of the job to scam money out of potential “employees.” While the scammers may use any business name, the name that has been reported to the La Mesa Police Department was “Bargain Shoppers Express.”
The victim posted her resume online and was contacted by Bargain Shoppers Express to participate in a “Secret Shopper” operation. The letter included a check made out to the victim for several thousand dollars. The instructions to the victim were to deposit the check into her personal account, purchase goods, and then keep the remainder of the money for herself. The goods that she was instructed to purchase were two money orders that were to be sent to two different addresses in Canada. The money was withdrawn from her checking account for the two money orders before the check from the company had cleared. The check from the company bounced and the victim was still charged over $4,000 for the money orders.
The number of scams like this has grown exponentially in the last few years. It is important to remember to wait for all checks to clear before spending the money that was promised to you. Never send money or goods to someone you don’t know that were purchased using your own checking account or credit cards. Also, be suspicious of companies that make the effort to contact you directly. Proceed with extreme caution when dealing with any company that is requesting any exchange of money, even if they sent money to you first.
For questions regarding scams and fraud, contact the La Mesa Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445.
The La Mesa Police Department needs your help in identifying two suspects who robbed an ARCO AM/PM convenience store. Please see the Special Bulletin for additional information. [Additional info...]
The La Mesa Police Department need your help in identifying a bank robbery suspect. Please see the Special Bulletin for additional information. [Additional info...]
The La Mesa Police Department has been informed of a county-wide scam involving fabricated stories to gain access to property. In the first case, a male and a female came to the door at the victim’s home and told the 97 year old resident that she was in need of roof repairs. While the female spoke with the victim and distracted her, the male apparently stole money and other items from another room in the home. In the second case, an elderly female answered her door to find 2 men claiming to have damaged her fence with their car. They offered to pay for the damage but requested access through her home to the yard to inspect the fence. She refused them access through her home, but allowed them in the side gate of her yard. While she was talking to one of the men, she suspects the other went into her home and stole several items. She noticed that cash and checks had been stolen. It is important to note that this is occurring county-wide. Be careful not to let anyone inside your home or yard. If you wish to seek repairs, do it on your own terms and contact the company yourself. The best advice is to not open the door for anyone you don’t recognize. If you have questions about scams, please call the La Mesa Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit at (619) 667-1445.
A federally mandated transition from analog to digital television (DTV) will occur on February 17, 2009. This means if you currently use a traditional antenna, either on the roof or inside (often referred to as rabbit ears), you will not continue to receive free television after the conversion date without taking one of the three following actions: DTV Converter Boxes - Owners of traditional analog TVs without cable service will need to purchase a DTV converter box. The cost is estimated to be $50-70. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issues coupons valued at $40 for converter boxes (limit 2 per household). For more information on this coupon program visit www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon or call 1.888.388.2009. Digital TV Sets - TVs with a built-in digital tuner will be able to receive the broadcast digital signals and you can still get free programming without paying a monthly fee. Paid Service - Current subscribers to a cable, satellite, or telephone company service provider will continue to be able to use their existing TV to receive the stations carried by the service provider with no additional changes necessary to their TVs. You can find more information about the transition to digital television at the following sites: National Association of Broadcasters - www.dtvanswers.com
Cox Communications - www.cox.com/sandiego/digitalcable/dtv2009.asp
In the general election on November 4th citizens in La Mesa approved Measure L – La Mesa City Vital Services Measure establishing a local sales and use tax. This is the beginning of giving the organization an opportunity at long-term financial solvency and a means to address ongoing State impacts on La Mesa’s budget. This will also allow the City to avoid the immediate reduction in services to the community that would have been enacted without the community’s support for Measure L. A copy of the Measure L and the guiding principles approved by the City Council in placing this measure before the community for consideration can be found at the link below. The local increase in sales and use tax will go into affect at the beginning of April 2009. The measure will increase sales and use tax within La Mesa from 7.75% to 8.50%. In the coming months, the City Council will be addressing the City’s immediate and long-term financial needs and providing direction on managing priorities and strategies to maintain La Mesa’s vital services and quality of life. Ongoing community input will be an important part of this process. For more information, view Measure L
The La Mesa FOCUS online newsletter is produced quarterly and meets the growing demand for computerized access to up-to-date information about activities and noteworthy projects occurring in the community. Additionally, there is significant savings due to elimination of postage and printing costs. City staff would like to hear what you think about the current issue. After you read the newsletter, take a moment and give us your feedback. FOCUS Newsletter FOCUS Survey [Additional info...]
If you are thinking about remodeling your homes or businesses, beware of whom you hire. In California, anyone who contracts to perform work that is valued at $500 or more in materials and labor must hold a valid license from the Contractors State License Board. In order to protect yourself against significant financial and legal consequences in the event of injury or property damage and avoid substandard work, be sure to ask to see the contractor’s pocket license and some form of identification before you hire. For additional information regarding hiring of a contractor, visit the following Contractors State Licensed Board website.
www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/HireAContractor/
Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers! The volunteers worked tiredlessly on Saturday, October 25, removing 75 cubic yards of debris from City parks. Mark your calendars for next year - October 24, 2009 is the next Park Appreciation Day.
Spring classes will run February through May 2009. Enrollment for spring classes begins December 1.
It has come to the attention of staff members at City Hall that an unlicensed business is soliciting in various neighborhoods. The notice from the company indicates that they will paint your street number on the curb for a small fee or donation. This is an unlicensed business that is operating illegally within the city limits. Call 619.667.1118 or 619.667.1400 if you see them painting in your neighborhood so that City staff can take action immediately. Alternately, you may submit the information electronically through Report a Problem. Thank you for your help in locating unlicensed businesses!
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