Bomb Squad Responds to Prank Explosion

The Orange County Bomb Squad was called out to Los Alamitos this month, following an explosion that turned out to be a prank.

Reports of gunfire in the neighborhood of Farquhar Avenue and Reagan Street turned out to be an ‘ice bomb’ placed in a residential yard as some sort of a prank. No one was hurt April 10 when someone packed a plastic bottle with dry ice and placed it on a front lawn where it later exploded due to the building pressure, said Los Alamitos Police Department Captain Bruce McAlpine.

“It can be very dangerous,” said McAlpine. “Fortunately, in this case, no one was hurt and there was no damage caused.”

Possessing, creating or detonating incendiary devices are felony crimes that can come with stiff penalties, said McAlpine.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Los Alamitos Police Department’s detective bureau at 562-431-2255.

Editor's Note: Reported from the most recent Los Alamitos Weekly Crime Summary.

ROBBERY

• 4/14/12 – 12:54 PM – 10900 Los Alamitos Blvd. – A report of two people posing as customers who took property from a business. They were approached by an employee, and the employee was battered by the suspects as they fled the store. The employee suffered scratches and minor swelling but declined medical attention.

AUTO BURGLARY

• 4/8/12 – 11:20 AM – 3500 Orangewood – A report of a vehicle window smash and a loss of property from inside during the prior 40 minutes.
• 4/8/12 – 12:08 PM – 10800 Oak – A report of a vehicle window smash and a loss of property from inside during daytime hours on 4/7/12.
• 4/9/12 – 4:00 PM – 4400 Corporate Center Dr. – A report of an unauthorized person forcibly entering a trailer and taking an automobile part sometime during the prior two days.
• 4/10/12 – 5:40 AM – 10600 Walnut – A report of a vehicle door lock punch but no loss of property sometime overnight.
• 4/10/12 – 8:54 PM – 10300 Los Alamitos Blvd. – A report of a vehicle window smash and a loss of property from inside sometime during the prior 50 minutes.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY/SHOPLIFT

• 4/12/12 – 11:53 AM – 3500 Cerritos – A report of four computers taken from a room sometime during the prior two days.

ASSAULT

•  4/9/12 – 6:58 PM – 11100 Noel – A report of a family disturbance resulting in a spousal battery investigation.

DUI

• 4/10/12 – 7:29 PM – Los Alamitos Blvd. and Sausalito – A report of a non-injury traffic collision. A 23 year-old man from Cypress was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
• 4/14/12 – 5:33 PM – Katella and Reagan – Traffic stop. A 21 year-old man from Pico Rivera, was arrested on suspicion of DUI.

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

• 4/13/12 – 4:10 AM – 11200 Los Alamitos Blvd. – A report of a disturbance between two men in a parking lot. A 29 year-old man from Los Alamitos was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sales.

THEFT

• 4/9/12 – 5:08 AM – 4600 Lampson – A report of a catalytic converter removed from a vehicle sometime during the prior two days.
• 4/12/12 – 4:05 PM – 3500 Cerritos Ave. – A report of baseball equipment belonging to a player being taken sometime last week.
• 4/12/12 – 10:05 PM – 3600 Green – A report of an unauthorized person removing property from an unlocked vehicle sometime in the past few weeks.
• 4/13/12 – 3:15 AM – 10900 Walnut – A report of an unauthorized person taking the victim’s shoes from their porch and then leaving the area.
• 4/13/12 – 5:01 PM – 3700 Green – A report of an unauthorized person taking property from an unlocked vehicle sometime during the prior hour.
• 4/13/12 – 7:59 PM – 11100 Los Alamitos Blvd. – Pedestrian check. A 63 year-old transient man was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property.

IDENTITY THEFT/CREDIT CARD/CHECK FRAUD

• 4/12/12 – 3:04 PM – 10600 Bloomfield – A report of an unauthorized person using the victim’s personal information to open a utility account.
• 4/13/12 – 5:14 PM – 3500 Howard – Traffic stop. A 47 year-old man from Los Alamitos wad arrested on suspicion of possession of fictitious checks, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit a crime, and a 47 year-old woman from Los Alamitos was arrested on suspicion of possession of fictitious checks, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

MISCELLANEOUS

• 4/9/12 – 3:24 PM – 5600 Cerritos Ave. – Traffic stop. A 32 year-old man from Cypress, was arrested for a warrant.
• 4/10/12 – 7:12 AM – 10800 Oak – Occupied vehicle check. A juvenile was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property from a crime committed in a nearby city.
• 4/10/12 – 9:30 PM – Farquhar and Reagan – A report of shots heard in the area. Investigation found that someone had left a homemade explosive object on the front lawn of a residence.
• 4/12/12 – 6:26 AM – 3700 and 4000 Howard – A report of two separate vehicles with smashed windows and no loss of property.