Crime In Moraga: Identity Thieves, DUIs, and a Helping Hand

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

A man described as a black male adult was clearly on a mission, as he was reported in the Moraga Safeway trying to shoplift a bottle of alcohol. Before police could arrive, an employee confronted the man and the alcohol was returned. The man was picked up in a red 4-wheel drive truck and drove away. Shortly after that, the man was arrested for shoplifting alcohol from the Lafayette Safeway.

A 24-year-old woman was arrested on Roberts Court for driving under the influence after she was seen driving recklessly.

A group of 5 to 7 year olds, led by a 20-year-old man, all from Walnut Creek, were using the skateboard park in Moraga Commons as part of a summer youth program. The man didn’t know about the requirement for a permit for those kinds of programs, and they all left without incident.

Moraga police responded to a brush fire on East Bay Regional Park District property behind Augusta Way. The Moraga Orinda Fire Department called in several trucks to help put the fire out before it could cause any property damage.

Think police work is all about arresting people and citing drivers breaking the law? Police received a report of an older man who had fallen down on Rheem Blvd. Police arrived and found the person who reported the incident helping the man, who refused medical attention several times. Turns out the man was a diabetic, but he carried his own glucose and glucose meter, and his blood sugar levels returned to normal. Rather than just leave it at that, officers gave the man a ride back to his car at Moraga Commons.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

A woman reported receiving a call from someone claiming to be her son, who said he was in jail in Southern California, and needed money for bail. Another call soon came in from a man who claimed to be a police officer with instructions on how to wire the money. The woman wired $2,400, and received a call for more money. She became suspicious and called her son, who was not in jail. Police discovered that the calls originated in Canada.

A woman on Moraga Way called police to say that she had used an ATM machine and left her card in the machine for a few minutes. When she came back to get it, a while male adult had it in his hand, and gave it to her. The next day she found $300 missing from her account. The bank fraud unit is investigating the incident.

A car was stolen on Viader Drive.

The value of planning ahead was driving home to a young man who was seen urinating behind a wall of the Moraga Commons skate park. Police arrived and advised the young man why that was definitely not ok. The youth was very apologetic and explained that he had held on too long and didn’t think he could make it to the restroom. He promised not to do anything like that again.

Friday, August 2, 2013

A woman was arrested for domestic violence when she was reported slapping her boyfriend.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

A woman who responded to a caregiver ad on Craig’s List told police she exchanged emails with the other party, and as part of that exchange gave her bank account information. The bank called her and said $800 had been withdrawn. An expensive lesson; don’t give out that information to strangers.

Reports of a traffic accident on Campolindo Drive turned out to involve a minor who was driving under the influence. He was cited and the cars were towed.