Oak Park vandalism spreading

The nine trees that were de- stroyed in Deerhill Park recently haven't been the only targets of van- dalism in Oak Park, but many of the other incidents have gone unreportedleaving police unaware of the true extent of the activity, officials said.

Recent vandalism of cars parked in front of homes includes at least seven vehicles that had their em- blems pried off, resulting in scratches and dents. Several cars also were bro- ken into and had their contents sto- len. The window of a home was shattered by eggs or rocks.

None of the destructive activity was reported to authorities, but resi- dents are sharing the news and warning one another.

Last weekend, two patches of spray-painted graffiti were dis- covered by a district janitor on a classroom building at Oak Park High School. Graphic language was painted in 3-foot black and red block letters, and police are investigating.

In past months there has been $12,000 worth of damage done to sprinkler heads and lights in a homeowners association common area and graffiti on public signs. The Oak Park sign on Kanan Road at the eastern entrance to the commu- nity was vandalized.

"People say it's okay to leave your doors unlocked in Oak Park but it's not true, " said resident Scott Cooper, a victim of vehicle emblem theft. "We need to be more prudent and more conscious."

There's been an increase in van- dalism countywide, said Capt. Ron Nelson, public information officer for the Ventura County Sheriff's Depart- ment. Emblem thefts, common in other towns, are mostly from Hondas,Mercedeses and AcurasThieves sell the e m b l e m s Nelson said.

If the damage is more than $400, vehicle theft or tampering can be a felony punishable by a fine and imprison- ment. If damage is $400 or less it's a misdemeanor with a fine and one- year jail sentence.

Police consider the destruction of trees in Deerhill Park a felony as well, said Capt. Bill Flanagan, who oversees unincorporated county ar- eas, including Oak Park.

Flanagan said he had not been made aware of many of the recent incidents because police reports hadn't been filed.

"People shouldn't fear calling us. It's the only way we know (about vandalism)," Nelson said.

It's also one of the ways the de- partment determines how much po- lice coverage an area receives. Dur- ing September, police received 181 calls from Oak Park. Only 13 con- cerned vandalism. The majority were false alarms from home sys- tems and 911 hang-up calls that a deputy must investigate.

"How many calls we're getting compared with other areas can make it hard to justify additional officers," Nelson said.

Four complaints about decal theft have come into the Emmons Co. offices, the management firm for the Chambord and Regency de- velopments, said property manager Ilene Decker.

"Contacting police is the only way we're going to get coverage in the area and get to the bottom of this," Decker said.

A resident on Savona Way whose Mercedes' emblems were removed Sept. 9 did file a police report, Nelson said, and the inci- dent is being treated as a felony.

But at least three residents whose cars were damaged by decal theft did not file police reports. Neither did a homeowner whose vehicle was broken into.

On Thurs., Sept. 7, Cooper no- ticed the front and rear decals on his rented Pontiac minivan had been pried off, as were the decals on his wife's Acura MVX. Parked in their Deerhill Road driveway, both were left with scratches where the em- blems had been.

" A p - parently that's the new kick, the new fad," Cooper said. "I've heard the kids are wear- ing these things as necklaces."

On Sept. 15 or 16, the emblems from the front and rear of Frank Bruno's Mercedes 320E were re- moved. The car was parked in front of Bruno's home on Deerbrook Road.

Alan Toomayan's Mustang GT, parked in a driveway on Ellesmere Way, also lost its em- blem to night-time thieves in early September. Multiple scratches and dents were visible where the em- blems had been.

"It's a horrible feeling knowing that while you're asleep someone is violating your property," said Toomayan's wife, Kathy.

Several weeks ago, Dave Carr's SUV was broken into and a brief- case stolen. The car was parked in front of his home on Summit Knoll Court. A neighbor found the brief- case in a nearby gutter. Carr thought the incident was too minor and that police wouldn't be able to do any- thing about it.

"I thought they were just looking for money," Carr said. "It didn't look like anything was disturbed."

And between midnight and 7 a.m. on Sept. 6, an upstairs bed- room window of a residence on Ad- miral Court was cracked by rocks or eggs thrown at the home. The family reported the incident.

"It's such a beautiful commu- nity," Decker said. "It's a shame that a handful of kids are causing these problems."

At all times, a single officer pa- trols Oak Park, Bell Canyon and a small portion of Westlake Boulevard, covering 20,000 residents over seven miles as well as four miles of open space and parkland. But Flanagan said there are times when that officer is pulled off patrol to assist officers elsewhere.

When a call is placed, two depu- ties are sent. Oak Park's deputy and another who patrols Newbury Park, Hidden Valley and Lynn Ranch work as a team.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors would like to see more officers in the unincorporated areas, said Supervisor Linda Parks, whose district includes Oak Park.

"City deputies in Thousand Oaks help when available," Nelson said. "The system seems to work."

Nelson and Flanagan urge resi- dents to report all suspicious ac- tivity and to park their vehicles in garages or in well-lit areas. They say not to keep valuables in cars and to keep all home and vehicle windows locked.

To report concerns or suspicions about vandalism, call the sheriff's dispatch at (805) 654-9511.