Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A home was reportedly ransacked in an afternoon burglary August 31.

The burglary occurred around 3:42 p.m. in the 1300 block of Highland Avenue. After entering the home, a burglar stole $7,500 in cash from a suitcase, a Gucci purse and a security camera that was disabled, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Before the camera was disabled and removed, it recorded a Latino man in an orange construction shirt, reflective vest and gardener-style hat inside the home.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A home owner confronted two men who attempted to break in to their home February 6.

The men failed to break a window after entering the rear yard of the home in the 1900 block of Royal Oaks Drive. The attempted break-in was reported around 12:50 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The homeowner was working remotely when the suspects attempted their break-in.

“According to witnesses, the suspects escaped on foot through the Donald and Bernice Watson Recreation Trail, the same way they got in,” according to the Sheriff’s Temple Station in a written statement.

Additional patrols have been implemented across Duarte neighborhoods after this incident.

Deputies urge residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity; to record license plate numbers and get suspect and/or vehicle descriptions while prioritizing personal safety.

Call 911, or 626-448-9861 to report all suspicious activity.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A resident received a rude awakening August 26 when she found a burglar entering her bedroom.

The burglary was discovered at 6 a.m. in the 1600 block of Third Street. The resident screamed and the suspect fled the house, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The suspect was only described as a white man in his 20s to 30s. He wore a tan shirt and tan shorts.

It was not divulged how the suspect entered the house. Nothing was apparently stolen.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A burglary was discovered early Saturday morning at Duarte High School, a fast pitch softball team’s equipment taken and no suspects identified.

A coach arrived to Duarte High School, 1565 Central Ave., around 7 a.m. May 13 to prep the field and discovered a broken door behind home plate. Further detective work revealed a busted lock on a shed and equipment taken from the 16U Lady Colt .45s, according to Coach Phillip Peinado.

“All softball gear is gone for the girls,” Peinado told SGV CityWatch. “They stole both pitching machines we have. Those are about $2,500 a piece. There were nine girls who left their equipment in the shed, gloves, bats, helmets, pitching masks, catching gear, their cleats. Everything.”

Peinado estimates the loss is $1,700 per player. Boxes of brand new CIF softballs and a speaker used to announce players and play music was also taken.

Whoever committed the burglary made use of an existing hole in a chain link fence near the first base dugout and widened it in order to take the equipment, Peinado believes.

Two buckets filled with Duarte High School equipment, including jerseys, were left behind on the way through the torn chain link fence, Peinado told SGV CityWatch.

Possibly more than two burglars may have been involved, Peinado believes, because the two stolen pitching machines are considerably heavy to move.

There is currently no suspect, or surveillance video available, according to Sgt. Blalock of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Monday may shed some light once Duarte High School’s athletic director reviews the recordings. There is one camera near the football equipment shed that may have captured the burglary, or the escape, since a burglary attempt was made to take football gear, Peinado told SGV CityWatch.

“The .45 girls play for Duarte High School. Everything that I bring, I leave for the high school. In the five years that I’ve been there I’ve never had an incident,” Peinado said.

Most of the stolen equipment was personalized with Peinado’s logo, except for player bats, Peinado said. He contacted Play It Again Sports, which sells used sporting equipment, to be aware of anyone attempting to sell the stolen items.

Play It Again has a store in Pasadena, Fullerton and Los Alamitos.

For now, a few sponsors have reached out to help financially. Helmets, gloves and cleats are most needed, Peinado said.

a gofundme has been launched.

Anyone who would like to help the Lady Colt .45s can direct message Peinado through his Instagram: ladycolt45_peinado07.

Anyone with information on this burglary is urged to call the Sheriff’s Temple Station at 626-285-7171.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A burglar alarm led to the arrest of a man accused of ransacking a classroom at California School of the Arts April 10.

Deputies went to the school, 1401 Highland Ave. at 3 a.m. and located a suspect, only described as a Latino man, inside of the property. The classroom he was inside where the alarm activated was ransacked and multiple laptops were placed next to a door, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The suspect was not identified.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Burglars broke their way into a Mediterranean restaurant March 26 and took a reported $13,000 in cash.

The burglary occurred at Janet’s, 1402 Huntington Dr., just after 4 a.m. The suspects, wearing face masks, dark hoodies and dark pants, were caught on surveillance video as they forced their way through the front entrance and made their way to a cash register and safe, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

“The suspects used a skill saw to cut open the safe and took money bags from inside,” according to the Sheriff’s Temple Station in a written statement.

The suspects escaped in a possible gray Volvo sedan.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A suspect or suspects took off with expensive property after shattering a rear glass sliding door March 10.

The home burglary occurred in the 1900 block of Royal Oaks Drive. The burglary is believed to have occurred between 1:30 p.m. and 2:18 p.m. Approximately $70,000 in jewelry and purses were stolen, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Detectives state no surveillance video is available. It is unclear if anyone obtained a description of any suspects.

DUARTE – A suspect or suspects shattered their way through a glass door and ransacked a home, authorities said.

Between 9:50 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. entry was made through a rear sliding glass door in the 900 block of Livermont Lane August 18. Taken from a bedroom was $10,000. Damage to the sliding door was $400, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

No surveillance video is available. It is unclear if detectives have any descriptions of a suspect.

DUARTE – Pharmacy supplies were taken during an early-morning burglary July 15.

The burglary occurred at a pharmacy at 931 Buena Vista St., just before 6 a.m. Doors to the east side of the building were pried open and a suspect or suspects stole the property, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The loss was unknown at the time of the report.

DUARTE – Additional patrols have been added to all Duarte neighborhoods after a man reportedly dressed as an Amazon delivery worker stole a package from a home, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced June 21.

A suspect in an Amazon delivery shirt was caught on surveillance video “appearing to impersonate an Amazon delivery driver,” according to the City of Duarte. The incident was recorded June 16 in the 2500 block of Elda Street at 3:30 p.m.

”Witnesses reported that the man was sitting in his vehicle waiting on the street for the Amazon delivery driver, and after the delivery came, he followed to steal the package,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement.

The suspect drove in a yellow Kia EV6.

Deputies ask residents to be vigilant, but to refrain from confronting strangers. Report suspicious persons, vehicles and to write down a license plate number if it is available. Report possible crimes in progress to the Sheriff’s Temple Station at 626-448-9861.