With the help of local residents, two recent crimes were solved.
In one case, a resident saw a person discard a spray paint can under a car then located fresh graffiti in the area. The resident took a photograph of the suspect, which was used to make a positive identification of a local worker who was quickly arrested for that case and an additional incident of vandalism in the area. The work of the investigating officers to bring the case from the phone photo to an arrest was equally commendable.
This case shows the importance of residents knowing the activity in their neighborhood, calling police quickly when unusual activity takes place and collecting useful information without endangering their personal safety.
In an additional case, on July 4, 2013, an unlocked $1,300 racing bike was stolen from the side yard of a house in the 1300 block of 7th Street. The victim provided the serial number on the bike and it was entered into a national stolen property database. The investigation was suspended with no leads.
This week, the victim contacted the Coronado Police Department and advised he believed he had found his bike for sale on Craigslist. He identified the bike due to customized parts he added. The victim arranged to meet the person selling the bike. Coronado Police Detectives responded in his place and contacted the seller in a parking lot in San Diego. They confirmed the serial number on the bike as stolen and arrested the suspect.
This case was solved because the victim knew the bicycle serial number and his bike had identifiable characteristics. The victim remained vigilant in monitoring online sales sites in search of his stolen property. The property owner also made the wise decision to involve law enforcement, rather than confront the thief on his own.
1The Coronado Police Department invites the community to register their bicycles for FREE at the Police Station during regular business hours and we strongly urge residents to keep their bicycles locked, even in their yard or garage.
Source: Coronado Police Department Press Release
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Brooke Prouty
Community Manager
eCoronado.com
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