Crime numbers were down last week, thanks to the holiday weekend, but Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies continue to crack down on crime, especially after the death of actor Paul Walker on Saturday left the community shaken.

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Walker and local business owner Roger Rodas were killed on Saturday when the Porshe that Rodas was driving crashed into a tree and burst into flames on Hercules Street at Kelly Johnson Parkway.

Deputies caution residents to be careful when driving around the site of the crash, due to lane closures and the large number of fans paying their respects, especially during the public memorial scheduled for Sunday.

On Thursday, Jameson Witty, 18, of Tujunga was arrested for allegedly stealing the roof panel of Rodas’ Porshe from the crash site. Another suspect in the case plans to surrender himself to authorities.

A train/car traffic collision resulted in no injuries and only about an hour delay Monday night, when a vehicle became stuck on the tracks while turning right onto Railroad Avenue. California Highway Patrol assisted the motorist and warned the approaching train.

The “Every 15 Minutes” program came to Saugus High School on Thursday, where deputies and first responders recreated the scene of a fatal DUI collision to teach students about the importance of driving safety.

Several suspects with Santa Clarita ties appeared in court this week.

Suzette L. Crockett, 46, of Stevenson Ranch had a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday, but it was continued until Jan. 30. Crockett is charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after a fatal collision in August.

Dino Roy Guglielmelli, 52, of Canyon Country was ordered on stand trial on Wednesday for allegedly soliciting the murder of his wife in October. He returns to court on Dec. 10.

Laura Purviance, 24, accused of murdering her mother Caroline Purviance in February, appeared in court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing, only to have her case continued until Jan. 16. Caroline Purviance was a special education teaching assistant for the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Santa Clarita Valley deputies also kicked off their annual toy drive this week, with a live broadcast from KHTS AM-1220 on Wednesday. They are collecting donations until Thursday, Dec. 19.

Last week’s crime reports are listed below, in alphabetical order by community.

Canyon Country east

Last week, the following Part 1 crimes occurred in Canyon Country East:

(2)Residential Burglary, (1) Theft, (4) Grand Theft Auto, (2) Domestic Violence, (1) Commercial Burglary.

There were two residential burglaries reported in Zone 8 last week. The first incident occurred near the 15600 block of Meadow Drive. In this incident the suspect(s) entered through an open sliding glass door at the rear of the house. The suspect(s) stole an iPad and several DVDs.

An additional residential burglary was reported near the 27300 block of Paloverde Place. The suspect(s) entered through the front door of the location and stole several thousand dollars’ worth of electronic equipment from inside the location. There were no signs of forced entry into this location.

There were several grand theft autos reported last week in Zone 8. The first incident occurred near 17700 Silver Stream Drive. The victim left their garage door open and the suspect stole the victim’s 2005 Honda Accord. The vehicle was later recovered by LAPD Mission Station. Another vehicle was reported stolen from Pauline Court. The victim also left their garage door open and the suspect stole his 2007 Toyota Solara. This vehicle was also recovered by LAPD in the North Hollywood area.

Deputies from the crime prevention unit received a call of a stolen vehicle on Sand Canyon Road. They searched the area and located the suspect and vehicle parked near Bear Divide Road. The deputies arrested the thief and returned the stolen vehicle to its owner.

Canyon Country west

This past week in Zone 7, the following Part-1 Crimes occurred:

(1) Robbery, (1) Residential Burglary, (1) Vehicle Burglary, (1) Gym Locker Burglary and (2) Petty Thefts.

A strong arm robbery occurred near the 26800 block of Isabella Parkway. The victim was at the suspect’s residence and when the victim decided it was time to leave, the suspect punched the victim, knocking him to the ground. The suspect took the victim’s cellphone during the incident. At the time the incident was reported the suspect was in custody on unrelated charges. The case is currently under investigation by Santa Clarita Station Detectives.

A residential burglary occurred near the 19600 block of Delight Street. An unknown suspect entered the victim’s unlocked garage and took a men’s bicycle.

A vehicle burglary occurred near the intersection of Sierra Highway and Vista Del Canon. An unknown suspect entered the victim’s locked vehicle and took a credit card. The vehicle was parked on the street.

A gym locker burglary occurred at the 24-Hour Fitness located at 18645 Via Princessa. The victim locked his personal belongings in the men’s locker room and when he returned to the locker after working out, the lock and his wallet were missing.

A petty theft occurred near the intersection of Piazza Di Sarro and Sierra Highway. An unknown suspect took several gallons of gasoline from a tractor’s gas tank. The tractor was parked on the street for several days.

It appears there was a large decrease in Part 1 crimes due to the holiday weekend. Do not let your guard down while doing your holiday shopping. Please remember to lock all car doors and do not leave personal items/gifts visible. I would also like to remind you to not leave any purses, bags, wallets, etc. unattended in shopping carts inside the store or while putting groceries in the car. It only takes a second for a thief to swipe your belongings.

Castaic/Val Verde

There was one Part 1 Crime in Zone 2. One vehicle theft was reported. During an argument while driving, the boyfriend, and driver of the vehicle, refused to let his girlfriend get out of the car.  While stopped at a stop sign, the female, and owner of the vehicle, exited and ran from her boyfriend.  The boyfriend drove off with the girlfriend’s car without her permission. Several hours later the boyfriend was located by deputies and the vehicle was recovered. The man was arrested for the theft of the vehicle.

Gorman/Neenach

During the above dates, Zone 1 had no (0) reported part one crimes.

Continue to be diligent and report all crimes as well as reporting anything suspicious in your area.

Newhall

A look back at the crimes reported in the Newhall area last week.

On Monday, Nov. 25 at 7:55 p.m., two female juveniles stole a handful of candy from the “Dulles Mexico,” located at 24046 Newhall Avenue.

On Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m., an adult female stole the cover off the credit card reader machine from the “Shell” station at 24440 Lyons Avenue.

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, a backpack containing prescription glasses and a Kindle tablet were stolen from the Hart High School gym during school.

On Monday, Nov. 25, a cell phone was stolen from a backpack at Placerita Junior High during school.

Between Nov. 21 and 25, a “John Deer” tractor was stolen from the 24800 block of Meadview Avenue. It appeared as though the tractor was loaded onto a trailer west of the location, near the wash off Cast Avenue.

Between Saturday, Nov. 23 at 4 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 24 at 6:55 a.m., the “Newhall Ice Co.” at 22502 5th Street was burglarized.  

Saugus

With the celebration of Thanksgiving and the nature of the holiday season there were only two reported Part-1 crimes. The first was a theft from a boat in the 22300 block of Festividad Drive between Nov. 20 and 25. Someone cut the cover of the victim’s boat and stole over $1,900 worth of equipment.

There was a petty theft from Saugus High School between Nov. 4 and 8. Someone stole a vacuum from the custodian’s office throughout the week. Detectives are checking surveillance video to see if the incident was caught on tape.

Stevenson Ranch/Westridge

There were a total of five part one crimes reported in Zone 3 during the above dates. Here are some details regarding some of the crimes.

A crime that was described as a grand theft occurred on Magic Mountain Parkway. A backpack was stolen (ref -16138).

A shoplifting burglary was reported from the Walmart on The Old Road. This incident occurred on Friday, Nov. 29 at approximately 1:50 p.m. Two juveniles were detained (ref -16197).

A petty theft was reported from the Walmart on The Old Road. This incident occurred on Saturday, Nov. 30 at approximately 3 p.m. No one is in custody at this time (ref -16247).

A petty theft was reported from Walmart on The Old Road. A suspect was placed under arrest (ref -80112).

Valencia

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit Zone 5-Valencia had twelve Part-1 Crimes reported during the past week. The criminal incidents included residential burglaries, petty thefts and shoplifting from local businesses.

A residential burglary occurred on the 27400 block of Deerborn Drive between the days of Nov. 17 and 26. The victim took ownership of the residence and discovered during his walk through that the kitchen stove along with other appliances had been stolen from the home. This incident is under investigation by detectives assigned to the Santa Clarita Station. A second burglary occurred at the 25600 block of Avenida Jolita between the hours of 7 p.m. and 12 a.m. The suspect(s) entered the garage and took the victim’s purse which was on the passenger seat in the vehicle. There was no forced entry made to the garage and vehicle was left unlocked while parked in the garage.

A petty theft occurred on the 27000 block of Victoria Lane between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. The victim left her purse unsecured on a table inside the residence. Numerous individuals were in the home during this incident. A suspect has not been identified at this time. A second petty theft occurred at a department store on Friday during the hours of 2:00 and 2:30 a.m. The victim while shopping left her purse on a table while looking at merchandise. When she turned back around, the purse was gone. No suspect(s) have been identified at this time.

The holiday season is here. Practice good crime prevention behavior. Always lock your car. Secure your purchases in the trunk, and out of view. Be aware of your surroundings, and report suspicious behavior to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121.

Related Article: UPDATE: Paul Walker, Roger Rodas Officially Identified As Victims In Crash

Related Article: Paul Walker Memorial Sunday Expected To Draw Crowd; Sheriff Offers Caution

Related Article: Men Accused In Theft From Porsche In Fatal Paul Walker Crash

Related Article: UPDATE: Santa Clarita Metrolink Train Crash Smashes SUV, Owner Uninjured

Related Article: “Every 15 Minutes” Offers Sobering Lesson For High School Students

Related Article: Stevenson Ranch Woman Charged In Fatal Crash Due Back Next Year

Related Article: Santa Clarita Man Accused In Murder Plot Ordered To Stand Trial

Related Article: Woman Accused In Mother’s Woodland Hills Murder Due Back Next Year

Related Article: Santa Clarita Deputies Host Annual Toy Drive Throughout SCV

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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