The Best of the Police Blotter 2012

January 17

11:39 a.m. – A resident of East Blithedale Ave. reported that in early December, someone entered his car and stole a velvet jewelry bag containing $9,100 worth of jewelry, including a black diamond necklace, a white diamond necklace and a pair of diamond earrings.

January 31

1:56 p.m. – The driver of a gray Lincoln reportedly drove into a sign near the tennis courts at Tam High, rupturing the car’s gas tank and sending some debris from the car out onto the road. The driver was not injured. Police are investigating.

February 15

10:48 p.m. – A girl learning to drive on Shelter Bay Ave. mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake, sending the car careening into a tree, which fell down and hit a parked car. Both parties are Shelter Bay residents and agreed to inform the condo manager of the fallen tree.

March 20

4:36 p.m. – A mother picking up her kids at Mill Valley Middle School backed up into a police car. There was no damage to either vehicle and no crime was committed.

March 30

10:23 a.m. – Someone spray-painted stenciled images of Osama Bin Laden and some guns on the back door of the Mill Valley Gas & Mart at 630 East Blithedale. The owner removed the images and did not have any surveillance footage of the incident.

April 3

11:22 a.m. – Someone stole lemons off the deck of a Beverly Terrace home while the resident was out of town, according to a report filed with police. The woman told police that she returned home from vacation and that all 15 lemons from her lemon tree were gone.

April 4

12:30 p.m. – A resident called police to report that someone was playing bongos loudly in the Depot Plaza. Police contacted the percussionist and he agreed to stop percussing.

April 20

5:08 p.m. – A Rite Aid employee reported that a teenager was about to stuff some alcohol into his backpack and was confronted before he was able to do so. He ran out of the store, leaving behind the backpack.

April 30

7:40 a.m. – An employee of Old Mill School reported that someone had spray-painted graffiti on the wall of the multi-purpose room at the school but someone also left a note apologizing for the vandalism and included $250 in cash to pay for the damage.

May 23

10:36 p.m. – Someone went to the police station at 1 Hamilton Drive to drop off cookies and a note to Cpl. Ian Maddison. It was unclear what prompted this act of delicious goodwill.

May 25

5:07 p.m. – A resident reported that two apparently drunk girls egged his Honda Odyssey near the Depot Plaza on Throckmorton Avenue. Police located the egg-wielding girls and cited them for public drunkenness.

May 29

9:17 a.m. – A number of residents of the 400 block of Throckmorton Ave., where a naked burglar was apprehended and a car flipped over in a bizarre crash in recent weeks, reported possible vandalism as many of their cars had their mirrors flipped in or damaged. That included a silver Volkswagen and a green Honda. Police have no suspect info.

June 9

7:57 p.m. – A resident reported loud drumming in the area of Monte Vista and Rose avenues. Police went to the scene and determined that it was a drum circle comprised of elderly people. It was not amplified and allowed to go until 10 p.m.

June 15

11:37 a.m. – A resident of Summit Ave. reported that her ex-husband confessed to stealing her ring from the home. Six years ago. Police took a report until further evidence can be provided.

June 21

4:16 p.m. – A resident of Amicita Ave. reported that a bouncy castle was blocking the road. The resident was concerned that someone would drive into it, as kids were playing in it. The company that set up the jumpy jump was called to relocate it from the street.

June 26

6:46 p.m. – A man driving by Edna Maguire Elementary School on Lomita Drive reported that a group of at least a half-dozen boys were throwing chairs at the windows of the school, which is in the midst of an ongoing demolition – as well as a series of firefighter training exercises - before its reconstruction over the next 18 months. Police went to the scene and found two kids playing ball who said they thought they’d help the construction crew out with the demolition efforts. It was unclear if the kids did any damage to the school that hadn’t already been done.

June 28

10:54 a.m. – A resident of Manor Drive reported that she noticed her mailbox was partially open. When she looked inside, she saw that a firework had been lit and had gone off inside the mailbox, which was damaged. At the time the woman discovered the incident, she told police that she heard some kids laughing nearby.

July 2

8:15 a.m. – A driver struck a water pipeline of some sort at Alta Vista and Mesa avenues, sending water shooting 20 feet into the air, a resident reported. Police were given suspect vehicle info but were unable to locate the perpetrator of the alleged hit and run.

July 4

6:25 p.m. – A resident of Ethel Ave. reported that his neighbor was setting off fireworks in his backyard. Police contacted the man, who was simply lighting his barbecue in his yard. No crime. 

July 21

2:37 p.m. - Someone called the police and notified them that a family was standing around a cherry tree on a center divide on Miller Avenue. The person who filed the report said that it didn't look like a safe situation. Police didn't identify a hazard.

July 24

12:28 p.m. - Someone decided to steal a parking meter. Whether the meter was lying on the ground, operational, or ripped off of the street is unclear.

August 3

3:42 p.m. - A man reported that his neighbor was threatening him through the fence that separates the two properties. The neighbor is question reportedly threw a brick in front of the man's fence. The resident of Mountain View Ave. reported that his neighbor has a mental disorder.

August 12

3:53 p.m. - A woman driving near Camino Alto and Kite Hill Lane reported that a group of juveniles hit her car with a rock. The woman was unsure whether the rock was thrown or if the kids had a slingshot, or some other rock-hurling technology. Police surveyed the area and were unable to find any kids who matched the age description.

August 14

3:20 p.m. - A cyclist reported to police that he was the victim of a hit and run situation in the parking lot of Cascade Falls. The cyclist reportedly fell into the nearby creek, and police estimate he fell nearly 15 feet.

August 15

7:54 p.m. - A woman on Lomita Drive told police that she was unable to re-enter her office building due to a teenager blocking the entrance and refusing to let her through. The teenager then decided to throw a soda bottle at her. Luckily it was cheap plastic bottle, and no injuries were reported.

August 21

9:27 a.m. - Body Kinetics Health Club & Spa on East Blithedale Ave. was broken into through a window that had been pried open, according to police. The report stated that $40 was missing from the club and blood was found splattered in one of the tanning rooms.

September 2

8:45 p.m. - A resident of Throckmorton Ave. told police that he was hearing a loud humming noise 24 hours a day and requested that an officer meet him and go on a search for the strange sound. The sleuthing duo determined that the noise was coming from an exhaust fan at Beerworks. The officer spoke with the owner and learned that the fan is shut off each night by 11:00 p.m.

September 28

12:25 p.m. – A man in a green convertible was playing continuous loud music on Corte Madera Ave. The caller reported he now had beer. After police advised him there were multiple complaints, he turned off the music and began singing in his car, then went into Sweetwater.

October 5

1:51 p.m. – A woman wearing grey sweat pants who was chasing people in the parking lot at 1 Camino Alto was arrested under the suspicion of public drunkenness. She was not charged and released.

November 14

11:41 a.m. – The owner of Come Clean Laundromat said her machines were drilled into and the coins were missing. She didn’t know how much money was missing, but is looking into whether the surveillance cameras were working.

November 25

9:44 a.m. – A woman received a ticket for parking in a handicapped spot, but said it was actually her designated spot. The space used to be handicapped and was painted over, but the paint had been washed away by the rain.

November, 27

1:07 p.m. – A man said he went into Goodman’s on Redwood Highway, and when he came out his ladder was through the windshield of his gold 2006 Acura MDX

December 15

1:48 a.m. – Six people, possibly more, were reportably having an “after party” in the parking lot of Sweetwater Music Hall, and the caller said this is an ongoing problem.