Officials from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station appeared at the Wednesday, Aug. 5, Malibu Public Safety Commission meeting to provide the latest available crime statistics for Malibu—the month of June. Altogether, crime is down 14.4 percent over the same period last year, but there are some significant differences in the types of crimes being committed. Year-to-date this year, six rapes have been reported, including one in June, as opposed to only one during the same six-month time period in 2019. Assaults were up—with eight so far this year, including three in June alone, as compared to only one during the same time last year.
The LASD made 88 arrests in June, dealt with 21 traffic collisions (eight with injuries) and gave out 2,948 citations. Thirteen of the arrests were for DUIs.
There have been far fewer locked vehicle burglaries than in 2019: 35 so far in 2020, 59 during same period of 2019; however, this year there have been far more unlocked vehicle burglaries.
Cases of interest:
•Two subjects, residents of Palmdale and Santa Monica, were arrested for assault in the 25400 block of Malibu Road after they became angry and threw glass bottles at residents who asked them to turn down their music on the beach.
•A burglar in the 18900 block of PCH woke a resident as he was opening a sliding glass door on the bedroom balcony. When the victim yelled in fear, the unknown suspect fled, leaving behind a flashlight and burglary tools. The investigation was ongoing.
•Two subjects from Lancaster and Palmdale were arrested for stealing a vehicle from the 19300 block of PCH. They were arrested in Palmdale by LA County Sheriff’s deputies. Investigators found a set of shaved keys and drug paraphernalia.
•A vehicle burglary was reported in the 23700 block of Malibu Road. A witness saw two Black males about 20 years old smash a Ford pickup’s window and steal a backpack and a gym bag. They fled in a black Nissan Altima driven by a third person.