How to resolve AdBlock issue? Police seek leads in early morning burglary, attempted burglary in downtown Lakeport
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is seeking the community's help in identifying the subjects responsible for a burglary and an attempted burglary that took place in the city early Thursday morning.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said offers were dispatched to Park Place Restaurant on Third Street shortly after 9:30 a.m. Thursday to investigate the report of a burglary.
He said the officers determined that someone forced entry into the business and searched it for items of property to steal.
Officers recovered items of evidence that are being processed in an effort to identify who may have been responsible for the break-in, Rasmussen said.
Based on the investigation, Rasmussen said police believe that the Park Place burglary occurred early Thursday, possibly between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.
Several hours later, at 11:15 a.m., officers were dispatched to the office of Dr. Katherine Andre in the 70 block of Fourth Street to investigate the report of an attempted burglary, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said there was an attempt to force entry into the building, but it was unsuccessful.
Officers believe the burglary and attempted burglary are connected and the investigation is ongoing, Rasmussen said.
He added that, at this time, there is no information to indicate that these incidents are related to the series of burglaries that occurred in the city last week.
Anyone who may have seen suspicious persons or activity in these areas during the early morning on Thursday is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department, telephone 707-263-5491.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
State Supreme Court refuses to review Neasham appellate decision
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Supreme Court has refused to review an appeal court's decision to overturn a Lake County insurance agent's conviction for felony theft from an elder.
On Wednesday the California Supreme Court denied the California Attorney General's petition to take up the First Appellate District Court of Appeal's reversal of Glenn Neasham's October 2011 conviction.
This past fall the appeal court had found that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Neasham had misappropriated an elderly woman's money or had made misrepresentations in selling her an annuity in February 2008, as Lake County News has reported
The court also found that the jury at Neasham's trial had received incorrect instructions on what was required to reach a conviction.
That appellate decision was filed Oct. 8. On Nov. 14, the California Attorney General's Office petitioned the Supreme Court to review the decision.
But on Wednesday the Supreme Court denied the petition for review.
The remittitur in the case – which signals the end of the appellate court's jurisdiction – is set to be issued on Feb. 13, according to court records.
Based on court procedures, the remittitur means that the case now goes back to the Lake County Superior Court, which must uphold the higher court's ruling.
Neasham lost his license as a result of the criminal case. After the appellate court overturned his conviction he set out to get it back.
He said his license was reinstated on Tuesday.
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Police arrest one, seek second suspect in Lakeport burglaries
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department has arrested a Northshore woman and is continuing to seek an Upper Lake man who is alleged to have been involved in a recent series of burglaries and attempted break-ins in the city.
Forty-six-year-old Kimberly Jo Harvey – also known by the last name Warren-Harvey – of Nice was arrested early Thursday morning, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said police also are looking for 25-year-old Jeffrey W. Stokes.
A series of burglaries and attempted burglaries occurred in Lakeport earlier this week, Rasmussen said.
On Tuesday just after 6:30 a.m. Lt. Jason Ferguson, Det. Bob Jordan and Officer Joe Eastham were dispatched to 610 N. Main St., which houses both Angie’s Lake County Cleaners and Veronica’s Jewelry, Rasmussen said.
The officers found that the suspects had forced entry into the business, ransacked it and stole more than $500 in cash, Rasmussen said. A travel trailer parked behind the business also was entered by force.
Rasmussen said the business surveillance system captured video footage of a white male and a white female burglarizing the business. Other items of evidence also were recovered from the scene.
Later on Tuesday, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Ferguson responded to World of Gifts at 350 N. Main St. to investigate the report of a burglary tool being located on the ground at the entrance to the business, Rasmussen said.
Ferguson believed that it was a homemade modified tool manufactured for prying open doors. Rasmussen said no forced entry was found at the business and Ferguson seized the tool for investigation.
Fifteen minutes later, Ferguson was dispatched to Strings and Things at 910 N. Main St. to investigate the report of an attempted burglary, Rasmussen said.
Ferguson found pry marks on door and door frame and determined that they were consistent with a sharp, sturdy pry tool similar to the tool recovered from World of Gifts. Rasmussen said Ferguson determined that the suspects had not been able to enter the business.
Then, on Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. Ferguson was dispatched to Round Table Pizza to investigate the report of another attempted burglary. Rasmussen said Ferguson found pry marks on the door and door frame, similar to previous burglaries.
Ferguson determined that the suspects had not been able to enter the business. Burglary tools and a suspected stolen unopened package, shipped through the US Mail, were left at the scene, Rasmussen said.
At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday officers were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of 11th Street where they determined that someone forced entry into the residence, basement and detached garage and stole unknown items. Items of evidence, as well as US Mail from a Sixth Street address, were recovered at the scene, according to Rasmussen.
Based on the circumstances and methods of the burglaries and attempted burglaries over the previous two days and the items of evidence recovered, officers at that time concluded that all the incidents were connected, Rasmussen said.
He said Lakeport Police officers and detectives continued their efforts to identify who was responsible for the burglaries and attempted break-ins.
A break in the case came early Thursday, when just before 12:30 a.m. Eastham and Officer Angie Bell responded to the Anchorage Inn Motel to investigate the report of a male tenant stealing coins from the laundry room, Rasmussen said.
Eastham and Bell were unable to locate the male subject, but Rasmussen said the motel manager identified him as Stokes from his registration information for room 102.
Rasmussen said the motel manager showed the officers the surveillance video of the male subject checking into the motel. Eastham recognized the man as matching the exact description of a male subject seen on surveillance video committing a burglary, along with a female subject, at the Lake County Cleaners at approximately 2 a.m. Tuesday.
The officers responded to room 102 and contacted a female subject who Eastham recognized as matching the description of the female subject seen on surveillance video committing a burglary along with the male subject at the Lake County Cleaners, Rasmussen said.
Officer Eastham obtained verbal consent to enter the room and saw what he believed to be multiple stolen items, such as jewelry and blank checks, detailed in recent burglary reports. Rasmussen said Eastham also saw bolt cutters.
The officers identified the female as Harvey, who was detained and later arrested for burglary, possession of stolen property and possession of burglary tools, Rasmussen said.
Officers secured the room and Ferguson completed an affidavit for a search warrant of the room, according to Rasmussen.
At approximately 9:10 a.m. Thursday Riccardi, Jordan and Ferguson served a Lake County Superior Court search warrant at the Anchorage Inn for room 102, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said that during the search warrant service items of property stolen from the Lake County Cleaners burglary and from a residence in the 600 block of 11th Street were located and recovered from the room.
A bag of power tools, identified by the Anchorage Inn manager as having been stolen from a storage unit at the motel, also were recovered from the room. In addition, Rasmussen said numerous burglary tools including bolt cutters, screwdrivers, pliers, gloves and two way radios were recovered from the motel room.
An extensive amount of additional items believed to be stolen, but not yet identified, also were recovered, Rasmussen said.
He said that police have evidence that suggests Harvey may have been involved in another case that they investigated in December.
On Dec. 18 officers investigated a case of a purse stolen from a vehicle and items of mail stolen from Mellor Drive and Hartley Street. Rasmussen said items stolen with the purse included a checkbook and drivers license belonging to a Lakeport woman.
He said the victim in that case contacted police on Dec. 19 to report that one of her stolen checks was forged at Grocery Outlet. Grocery Outlet management provided surveillance footage of the forged check transaction, with the female shown in the footage matching a known booking photograph for Harvey.
Rasmussen said investigators on Thursday reviewed Harvey’s California criminal history record and found a lengthy arrest and conviction record.
Harvey has four previous arrests for misdemeanor theft, six for felony, six for forgery, eight for burglary, four for possession of stolen property, and two for altered bills, notes or checks, he said.
He said Harvey has been convicted of two felony theft counts; two felony counts of forgery; one misdemeanor grand theft count; two counts of felony altered bills, notes or checks; three felony burglary counts; one unknown felony or misdemeanor possession of stolen property; one felony possession of stolen property count; and two misdemeanor petty thefts with a prior.
Harvey also currently is wanted on a warrant charging petty theft with a prior, Rasmussen said.
He said Harvey was last convicted and sentenced to three years county jail under AB 109 Criminal Justice Realignment on Nov. 15, 2011, for felony burglary.
Based on the nature and extent of the current crimes and Harvey’s extensive prior theft-related criminal history, Rasmussen said the Lakeport Police Department completed an application for bail increase.
He said the bail increase application was presented to Lake County Superior Court Judge Andrew Blum, who authorized Harvey's bail be set at $200,000.
Rasmussen said police currently don't know the whereabouts of Stokes, who is wanted for burglary, possession of burglary tools and possession of stolen property.
Stokes is approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighs 220 pounds, has blue eyes, and is bald and unshaven, Rasmussen said.
Stokes has a prior arrest for felony burglary and felony possession of stolen property in Nevada, according to Rasmussen.
This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information related to the burglaries, recovered stolen property or the location of Stokes is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.
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Police arrest fifth suspect in connection to September murder of Clearlake man
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A fifth suspect alleged to have been involved in the September shooting death of a Clearlake man has been taken into custody, according to police.
Daniel Miller, 30, of Ukiah was arrested on Thursday morning, according to Sgt. Nick Bennett of the Clearlake Police Department.
Bennett said Clearlake Police detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Miller charging him with accessory to homicide, possession of a short-barreled shotgun and felon in possession of a firearm in connection to the shooting of David Ferrell last Sept. 8.
Ferrell, 29, was standing outside of the home he shared with his wife and children during a birthday celebration for his oldest daughter when police say he was shot in the head by Joshua Robert Beavers, 24, of Clearlake.
Beavers allegedly had been looking for a man he had fought with earlier in the day when he began randomly shooting in the 15000 block of 19th Avenue. Ferrell had not been involved in the fight and was an innocent bystander.
Two other people at Ferrell's home – Rachel Patterson and Paul Cressy – were wounded in the shooting, but recovered, according to police.
Beavers is charged with murder, attempted murder, assault with a firearm, discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle or public place, along with many special allegations.
Arrested on the same day along with Beavers were Orlando Esquivel Sr., 48, and his wife, 50-year-old Angel Aileen Esquivel, and Brenden Alicea, 26.
The Equivels and Alicea each were charged with conspiracy, and they – along with Beavers – have remained in custody since their September arrests.
At the same time, police were continuing their search for Miller, Bennett said.
Bennett told Lake County News that Clearlake Police detectives had received information that Miller had been hanging out in Clearlake for a couple of months.
That information had led to police working hard to find Miller in Clearlake, but Bennett said they had no luck.
Then they received new information that he had returned to the Ukiah area, Bennett said.
Bennett said detectives were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Miller, who was picked up by a Mendocino County Sheriff's deputy Thursday morning.
At 10:30 a.m. Deputy Raymond Hendry was serving an eviction notice in Ukiah, and while identifying persons in the residence, an individual – later identified as Miller – gave more than one name for identification, Bennett said.
After the warrant for Miller's arrest was confirmed Hendry took him into custody, according to Bennett.
Bennett said Miller was booked into the Lake County Jail later on Thursday.
Anyone with additional information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.
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REGIONAL: Glenn County sheriff won't seek reelection
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Glenn County's sheriff said this week he will not seek reelection this year.
Sheriff Larry Jones informed the Glenn County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting of his decision not to seek reelection for another term.
Jones, who has served as the Glenn County sheriff-coroner since 2005 will have completed 10 years as sheriff when his current term expires in December of this year. He has been with the agency, in various capacities, for more than 40 years.
“I will enthusiastically recommend and wholeheartedly support my undersheriff, Richard Warren, to be my successor and become the 15th sheriff of Glenn County,” Jones told the board. “I feel he possesses all the qualities to be the next sheriff and he knows the inner workings of the agency better than anyone. I cannot think of a more qualified individual to take the helm from me.”
Sheriff Jones also explained to the board that during his 12 months left as the sheriff, he still has many things that he wishes to accomplish, none of them more important than working with the board in an effort to incrementally start restoring positions to the agency.
“My goal,” he said, “is to return two deputy sheriff positions in fiscal year 2014-15.”
Also of paramount importance to the sheriff is to ensure a smooth and seamless transition of leadership when a new sheriff is elected.
Meanwhile, the continued operations of the agency will be overseen by Sheriff Jones. He said public safety will remain at the forefront of the agency’s mission.
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