Sonoma Police believe they have captured the man responsible for a rash of car burglaries including stealing emergency medical equipment from a vehicle belonging to the fire chief. Officers responding to a call regarding a suspicious person in the neighborhood approached the Sonoma man, 31, outside his house. He turned out to be drunk, and on probation that allowed the search of his home. Inside, officers quickly noted the firefighting-related items. Stolen property tied to two additional thefts was also discovered on the premises, with more loot yet to be traced to its rightful owners.
Other crimes and capers on the logs of the Sonoma Police Department:
September 8
The joy of stealing
Four bottles of wine and a quantity of ground lamb was discovered missing from the outside storage area of the Sunflower Café’s patio. There was no forced entry in the overnight caper: the outdoor refrigerator had been unlocked, and the vino casually stored under a counter. The loss was estimated at $200.
September 5
Deadly serious
Two men partying with beer and cocaine in the Mountain Cemetery didn’t realize quite how grave the situation was, not until they were arrested and thrown in jail. An officer on patrol, tracing the sounds of music and mischief at about 2 p.m., came upon the unseemly tableau of a man sitting on a raised tomb, snorting coke off the face of a book. Both men, ages 22 and 24, were booked for possession. Additionally, the younger gent had three outstanding warrants.
No place to hide
The passenger of a car pulled over for a traffic stop on Petaluma and Riverside at about 10 p.m. seemed, to the approaching officer, to be mighty fidgety – texting, reaching around the cushions, searching under the seat. Was he reaching for a weapon? Hiding evidence? Tweeting his lawyer? The officer pulled him out of the car to check it out. Not unsurprisingly, the man, 49, was on probation, a green light for the ensuing search of the car. Found tucked under the seat cushion was a lip balm container with .5 grams of meth. He was jailed for possession of a controlled substance and violating probation, the terms of which frown on that sort of thing. His pal the driver got a ticket but got to go home.
September 4
Drunk of the Week
It was about 1:40 a.m. when the Springs man, 51, left Steiner’s Tavern. Need we continue? As surmised, negotiating the immediate turn proved troublesome for the nightlifer, and his car crossed the median into the oncoming traffic. The driver of the 1993 Toyota Tacoma proved to be thoroughly soused, ringing up an average .18 blood alcohol score. He was jailed for the effort.
September 3
Open invitation
An unlocked vehicle on Brockman at Jones was relieved of a woman’s purse that had been sitting on the front seat. Notable effects reported missing in the 7 p.m. hesit included a pearl necklace and a gold ring with a total estimated value of $420. Windows rolled down made the job that much easier.
September 2
Rear ended
A 13-year-old girl walking home from school was the victim of a ride-by pinching from a man on a mountain bike. The incident, in which the man pinched her bottom as he rode by, occurred near St. Francis Solano Church at about 4 p.m. The quick-fingered assailant was described as a tall, slender man, aged 25 to 30, with no facial hair. He was wearing a Giants hat and shirt.
What does “moderation” mean, and how long does it take? Until its not news anymore, or just forever. Since you ran a story about how great our police are, thought it might balance it out to have a story about how they screwed this one up. Or is one not allowed to have printed an editorial that is not “politically correct” in the paper’s opinion by stating an opposing point of view. Free speech must not be allowed here unless you folks approve. Is that the meaning of “moderation” ? Please answer.
Gayle,
I’m not sure what you’re talking about: our story does not mention the word “moderation” nor does it mention how “great the police are.” As for letters to the editor, we welcome all viewpoints.