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Recent Blog Posts
Deputies accuse California man of using sauna during burglary
Deputies in Calaveras County arrested a San Andreas, California man on suspicion of burglary after police say he used a sauna at a San Andreas residence. Officials say that a San Andreas homeowner found the suspect in the kitchen of the home last week, wearing a trench coat and socks. The resident claims that he chased the man out of his home and tackled the suspect in the driveway, while a neighbor called police.
Law enforcement apparently interrogated the man about his alleged presence in the home. Police claim that the man said that he thought the home was unoccupied and had entered the home to use the sauna. When questioned about his trench coat and socks, law enforcement says that the man told them that his clothes were on the floor near the sauna.
Police claim that several items were found in the man's possession when he was found at the home. Authorities say that the items had been stolen from the home and that the suspect admitted to taking small tools, batteries and other small items from the residence.
Two arrested Monday for December burglary at Salinas truck stop
Law enforcement took two people into custody at a Salinas, California truck stop. Authorities claim the two can be linked to a December 31, 2012 burglary at the same location. Police claim that a man smashed a glass case at the store in December and took several items.
Staff members at the gas station and truck stop claim that a woman returned to the store in early January seeking to return some of the items that authorities believe were stolen during the late December commercial burglary. Store personnel claim that the woman was seeking a refund for the allegedly stolen high-priced items.
Monday, as several California Highway Patrol officers were inside the store, authorities claim that a man and woman walked into the establishment. Staff members claim that the man was the one who stole items in the late December incident, while they also claim that the woman is the same person who allegedly tried to return stolen items to the store for a refund in early January. Store personnel called over the CHP officers, who reportedly detained the man and woman until Salinas Police officers could respond to the location.
animal cruelty charges after police raid home
Law enforcement raided an upscale home in Castro Valley Tuesday after receiving a tip that someone may have been selling marijuana from the home. When officials went inside, they claim that an alligator was found in a tank in a bedroom of the residence. Authorities say that they thought the alligator, technically a 16-year-old dwarf caiman, was guarding marijuana. The caiman was found in a two-foot by four-foot tank.
During the raid, officials say that law enforcement also seized roughly 34 pounds of marijuana. A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drug charges, including possession of marijuana for sale and possession within 1,000 feet of a school. Meanwhile, authorities transported the dwarf caiman to the Oakland Zoo. Authorities have added animal abuse charges to its accusations against the Castro Valley, California man.
Law enforcement announced Thursday that the 16-year-old caiman was undernourished when officials took custody of the animal. Authorities believe that the animal was given inadequate living conditions at the Castro Valley home. The latest allegations were announced after the caiman died a day after authorities took control of the animal.
Union City man accused of stealing packages, mail in Palo Alto
Police are looking to bring more charges against a Union City, California man after his arrest on New Year's Day. Authorities claim the 25-year-old had stolen two packages from in front of a house in Palo Alto January 1. Palo Alto Police received a call from a resident who claims to have seen someone take packages from a neighbor's doorstep. Law enforcement responded to the area and arrested a Union City man who was in the area.
Police claim that they found two packages in the Union City man's truck. Authorities also seized a baton, a fake gun and drugs after a search of the man's truck. Law enforcement says that a personal check was in the man's Chevrolet pickup truck that authorities believe was stolen from a mailbox in late December. Authorities apparently also suspect the man of drug crimes, after seizing bags and a scale from the truck during the search.
Law enforcement apparently raided a storage unit in Campbell, California as a part of the investigation. Police assert that the Union City man rented the storage unit, where officers reportedly found two more packages that law enforcement believes may have been taken from homes in Palo Alto. Police continue to look for evidence to tie the man to other thefts in Palo Alto. He was booked into jail on several theft-related charges, including possession of stolen property.
Police accuse California man of driving drunk on golf cart after burglary
Police in Angels Camp, California say that a Citrus Heights man stole five bottles of champagne on New Year's Eve, loaded the bottles into a golf cart, and attempted to make a roughly 74 mile trek home in the stolen golf cart. Police claim that the 46-year-old California man had been staying at a resort in Angels Camp for the holiday. But authorities say that the man had an argument and decided to leave the resort.
Police claim that the Citrus Heights man spotted a golf cart in a garage roughly 20 minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve. That's when police say the man decided to drive home. Authorities accuse the man of taking the electric golf cart and the champagne and hitting the highway.
Police believe that the man took a wrong turn while searching for Highway 4 and got lost. Law enforcement arrested the man near Copperopolis on suspicion of driving under the influence. Police claim that the man drove more than 13 miles in the cart. Officials claim that the man admitted to stealing the machine.
Police arrest Scotts Valley resident for alleged marijuana grow
Police raided the home Wednesday afternoon and claim to have found more than 500 marijuana plants and roughly 4 pounds of processed pot inside the home. While authorities were conducting the raid, police say that a 38-year-old arrived. The resident reportedly arrived home a little more than an hour after police began searching the home.
The Scotts Valley man was arrested on suspicion of possession of pot for sale and marijuana cultivation charges related to the allegations arising from the raid on his home. Law enforcement also accuses the man of driving on a suspended license, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Scotts Valley Patch is reporting that the man is also facing charges for driving under the influence.
This blog has reported several stories regarding search issues and other stories regarding marijuana cultivation charges in California. Many media reports rely upon information provided by government authorities. It is important to note that criminal charges are brought in court, where constitutional principles and legal rules protect an individual's rights.
San Jose man arrested for drugs after dog sniff in Novato traffic stop
What began as a traffic stop for an alleged driving under the influence offense led to felony drug charges Saturday for a San Jose man in Novato, California. Media reports do not indicate what led a Novato police officer to suspect the driver of being under the influence before conducting the traffic stop. However, authorities say that the officer claims to have smelled pot emanating from inside the car.
The officer claims that two large packages wrapped as Christmas gifts were inside the car. Police brought in a canine unit to sniff the packages and claim that the dog alerted during the dog sniff. Novato Police say that the department has three police dogs used to sniff for evidence of drugs.
The officer reportedly ripped open the Christmas gifts and claims that the boxes contained three pounds of processed marijuana. The driver was arrested on suspicion of possession and transportation of marijuana with intent to sell.
Police: Watsonville man conspired to smuggle drugs into Santa Cruz Jail
Law enforcement apparently concluded that the two men were in violation of the terms of their probation. Police say that they believed each man had terms prohibiting them from associating with a gang, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Both men were arrested on suspicion of the violations.
Authorities say that the 22-year-old was searched at the Watsonville Police station after his arrest. During a body-cavity search, police claim that the man had concealed drugs that were packaged to avoid contamination of the substances and reduce the risk that the man would have an overdose of drugs. Police say that the substances included nearly 29 grams of pot, 11.6 grams of black tar heroin, as well as amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine.
The 22-year-old was not taken to the Santa County Jail on that same day. However, the 25-year-old was booked into the jail on the alleged probation violation.
Santa Cruz County officials claim that the 25-year-old appeared in the court gallery Wednesday to watch a hearing involving criminal charges filed against his brother. Police claim that the defendant in that case has gang ties.
Man arrested in Visalia for driving while suspended after DUI court hearing
Undercover police appeared at the courthouse in Tulare County Tuesday. The officers were not there to attend hearings, but to follow defendants into the parking lot after the specified defendant's had appeared in court. Visalia Police say that they decided to run an undercover sting to catch people appearing in court on drunk driving charges if they drove to the courthouse after a suspension of their driving privileges.
The Visalia Police say that they were targeting drivers who were suspended or revoked due to a DUI arrest. Law enforcement says that 10 people who appeared Tuesday in Tulare County Superior Court were followed from the courthouse. Officials say that the sting operation was used to ensure that drivers with allegedly suspended or revoked licenses were targeted to ensure that the individuals had found alternate means to appear in court on the DUI charges.
One man who was followed from the courthouse reportedly was arrested on suspicion of driving with a suspended or revoked license during the sting operation. Visalia Police say that the sting was set up using grant money from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NTSB urges expandaed use of ignition interlocks in DUI cases
The use of ignition interlock devices in drunk driving cases has garnered attention across the country in recent years. Four counties in California are currently experimenting in the use of the devices in cases involving allegations of driving under the influence. The device is essentially a breath test machine that is installed in the car.
A driver must blow into the Breathalyzer before attempted to start the vehicle. If the device detects a specified level of alcohol, the car simply will not start. In most states, the driver must also periodically blow into the device while driving, and information from that breath test is recorded for download at specified times while the device is required after a DUI conviction.
Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board unanimously recommended that all 50 states pass laws to require the use of ignition interlock devices in all DUI cases.
The federal agency says that the use of the devices will reduce wrong-way car accidents across the country. In addition to the recommendation that all states use the devices in all DUI cases, including first-time drunk driving offenses, the NTSB urged another federal agency to speed up its research on infrared technology used to detect the presence of alcohol in drivers.
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