Interrupted Burglary In West Hills Nets Five Arrests For LAPD
Many of you observed and were possibly inconvenienced by the insane amount of police activity in West Hills yesterday afternoon/evening, but it looks like there was a big payoff for it. LAPD Topanga Area SLO Brent Rygh took the time to write me this morning to let my readers know what happened.
Police responded to a call for service of burglary suspects in the area of 6400 Bobbyboyar Ave. Officers were able to immediately locate and detain one suspect. Officers closed off the surrounding streets to set up a perimeter around the area and search for a second suspect. A second suspect was captured inside the perimeter. Rygh explained that they ultimately connected these two suspects to 3 additional suspects that were stopped a few blocks away. A total of 5 suspects were arrested and discovered to be in possession of property from several burglaries in the area.
Obviously, LAPD’s warnings to be vigilant about the security of your home and vehicles needs to be heeded because degenerates like these guys are clearly on the prowl in our area.
Thanks to Brent Rygh and other Topanga Area officers for their hard work and a special thanks to he and others who are clearly working diligently to keep the public informed and to get the Nixle alerts back on track.
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LAPD Releases Names Of West Hills Couple In Last Weeks Murder/Suicide
Sent out this morning via Nixle:
Advisory Message has been issued by the LAPD – Topanga.
Tuesday May 25, 2010 5:58 AM PDT
UPDATE Elderly Couple Found Dead-Identities Released
***UPDATE***
The identities of the two people involved in this incident have been identified as 77-year-old Anne Ward and her husband 77-year-old James Ward of West Hills.
An elderly couple found dead in their West Hills home in an apparent murder-suicide were identified as Anne and James Ward, both 77, the coroner’s office announced today.
The two were found inside their home in the 7200 block of Cirrus Way on Thursday morning with single gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
There were no signs of a struggle and there did not seem to be any problems between the two, police said.
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Topanga Station’s Commanding Officer John Sherman’s May 2010 E-Police Newsletter
Just received this newsletter from LAPD Topanga Station’s commanding officer Captain John A. Sherman detailing some recent violent events in our area.
He writes:
Dear Topanga Community Members,
Recently, the communities policed by the LAPD’s Topanga Community Police Station have been rocked by several violent incidents. As community leaders and police partners, I want to give you an overview of these incidents. There is not a lot of detail here, but it gives you a general idea of what has occurred in your neighborhoods.
First, on April 30, 2010, a violent domestic related double homicide occurred on the 7000 block of Eton Avenue in Canoga Park. This was a terrible tragedy for this long-time Canoga Park family. A family member was arrested and has been charged with both murders. On May 10, 2010, an officer involved shooting occurred at the Best Buy at Victory Boulevard and Owensmouth Avenue in Canoga Park. This incident closed down surrounding major intersection for several hours. Your Topanga police officers did an outstanding job ensuring that no innocent bystanders were injured. No officers were injured during the incident. The suspect was wanted in a domestic homicide that occurred in Long Beach. The suspect involved endangered the public by having a loaded firearm and ultimately he succumbed to his injuries as a result of the officer involved shooting.
On May 14, 2010, your community was rocked by yet another double murder, this time on the 6900 block of Remmet Avenue in Canoga Park. A young woman and her child were murdered. This investigation continues and we are working diligently to identify and arrest the suspect(s).
Clearly these three incidents are tragic and horrific acts of violence. They are shocking to your community. Please know that we do not believe these are at all related, or a series or trend of violence in any way. In two of the cases, the suspect will not be free to interact with society again. In the third case, we have many resources working on the case to solve the crime and bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice. If you or anyone you know has any information on this crime, please contact the Topanga Homicide Detectives at 818-756-4820.
The purpose of this email is to give you a brief overview of these significant events that have occurred in your community. I also want you to know that your officers and detectives assigned to Topanga have, and will continue, to work diligently and heroically to keep your community safe and to investigate these crimes to the fullest extent.
In fact, as of May 15, 2010, our total Part I crime is down 17.9 percent this year with 397 fewer crime victims than last year at this time.
As always please contact your Senior Lead Officer or me should you have any questions.
Captain John A. Sherman Commanding Officer Topanga Community Police Station
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LAPD Topanga Station/West Valley CHP “Tip-A-Cop” Charity Event At Woodland Hills Friday’s On May 27th
Ok, now this is something I can definitely see myself attending.
LAPD writes:
“Tip a cop” fundraiser-May 27 6-10 pm,to benefit the Special Olympics-Captian John Sherman may serve you, Please come
LAPD/TOPANGA AREA has an important message for the community!
The Los Angeles Police Department Topanga Division Police Officers will be participating jointly with the West Valley California Highway Patrol in a “TIP-A-COP” fundraiser event to benefit Special Olympics. It will be at the TGI Fridays at 5919 Canoga Avenue on May 27th between 6pm and 10pm. Bring the kids and come by to be “waited on” by uniformed LAPD and CHP officers and help raise money for this worthy cause. You might even be waited on by the Commanding Officer of Topanga Division, Captain John Sherman!
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Suspicious Package Shuts Down Parts Of Warner Center
Daily News (and not Nixle) writes:
Police were checking out what they called a possible ’suspicious package’ near the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and Owensmouth Avenue in Woodland Hills around 10 a.m. Monday, authorities said.
The incident closed down the intersection near the Warner Gateway corporate park, barring workers from reaching or leaving their offices. Eastbound Burbank Boulevard traffic is being rerouted to Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
LAPD’s bomb squad was on its way to the scene to examine an unattended bag left near a bus stop at the intersection’s southeast corner, said LAPD spokesman Officer Kevin Maiberger. Police got the call about the bag at 9:43 a.m., he said.
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2 Big Woodland Hills Police Events, 0 Related Nixle Alerts. LAPD Dropping The Ball?
I’d like to point out that in the past week, there have been 2 big police incidents in Woodland Hills that I know of. The first being the May 5th bomb threat at the Rite Aid (Topanga & Ventura) and the second being yesterday’s Best Buy shooting (Owensmouth & Victory). Both incidents resulted in massive police presence, street closures, helicopters, etc.
Now, the LAPD has a much touted system called Nixle that is from what I understand designed to be used to notify the public in these situations – in real time. It should be pointed out that in both incidents LAPD failed to use the system. However, during the same interval the system has been used to high-five about past crimes being solved, one about a purse snatching and the other about a burglar being apprehended (Canoga Park).
During a recent e-mail with LAPD Topanga Area SLO Brent Rygh he himself brought up to me that this was a known issue that he would be working on. Why isn’t the Nixle system being used for breaking police activity that the public should be informed about as it is happening as it has been in the past?
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A Case of “The Times Square Jitters” Spawns False Alarm Bomb Scare In Woodland Hills
The area of Woodland Hills at the corner of Ventura Blvd and Topanga Canyon Blvd was on lock down for about an hour last night after a concerned community member saw an object inside of a car that they thought might be an explosive device. The incident occurred around 9pm (May 5, 2010) in the Gateway Plaza parking lot, near the Rite Aid drug store.
Topanga Station’s Officer Brent Rygh confirmed the event to me today via e-mail. He tells me the area was evacuated and the bomb squad determined that the item in the car was not a threat. It turns out wires are used for things other than bombs. Community members have written me today with stores of being on lock down at Chipotle, not being able to get into their neighborhood to go home, etc.
The LAPD erred on the side of caution due to recent events in New York’s Time Square, I am told.
I was initially surprised that so many people had to deal with inconvenience from this event, yet no Nixle alerts or other LAPD notifications went out. Officer Rygh mentioned that he intends to make some changes to the way Nixle alerts are issued, so that more timely and pertinent information makes it out to the community.
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