Resident Alerts Deputies To Crime In Progress
Friday - February 08, 2008 - 9:30 a.m. - Unincorporated Los Angeles County - Stevenson Ranch:
Commit Crime? - Not in the Santa Clarita Valley - In a page right out of the Neighborhood Watch handbook, an alert Stevenson Ranch resident spotted two suspects breaking into a car in the area of Hemingway Avenue and Faulkner Drive and called the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station.
The resident apparently confronted the two suspects, which is not recommended by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, and they ran away. Deputies quickly responded and conducted a search for the suspects. A female suspect, Nicole Demott, FW/20, of Canyon Country was located and arrested nearby, but the second suspect, a male, managed to allude capture for nearly five hours.
Deputies at the scene determined the vehicle the two suspects had reportedly driven to the area, had been stolen from an area in Valencia earlier in morning. During the containment and search for the male suspect, Stevenson Ranch Elementary School was temporarily placed on lock-down. A helicopter from the Los Angeles Police Department assisted the Sana Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's ground units by providing air support during the operation.
Deputies conducted follow up investigation, and after identifying the male suspect they were able to arrest him just after 3:30 p.m. That suspect, Anthony Mears, MW/21, of Stevenson Ranch, and suspect Demott were both booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station Station. They each face felony Grand Theft Auto charges. Suspect Demott is being held in lieu of $35,000 bail pending future court proceedings. Suspect Mears was also on felony parole and is being held without bail pending future court proceedings.
Anyone with information regarding these crimes or similar suspicious activity should contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station at (661) 255-1121 or use the anonymous "We Tip" line listed below. The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information available at this time. -ref 02427
If You See Something, Say Something! Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
Always verify the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's information and news releases by visiting our website at SCVSheriff, the City of Santa Clarita's website at Santa-Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's website at LASD or a trusted local news source. Three other local news outlets are KHTS AM-1220, The Signal and SCV TV. For questions regarding this release, contact Sergeant Harris at (661) 799-5814.
