Spring Street Robberies Close to Being Solved, Police Chief Says

A small audience at Lemon Avenue School heard big news Wednesday night about another part of town—a spate of Spring Street robberies may be near closure.

At the latest in a series of public forums on crime and public safety, La Mesa Police Chief Al Lanning said his department is working “active leads” on a recent series of Sunny Donut robberies and other crimes in the south La Mesa neighborhood.

 “We expect those to be resolved,” Lanning told a dozen residents in the school’s auditorium.

He suggested that the robberies are linked—with a few thieves involved rather than separate criminals per incident. Cell phone muggings have taken place on the street as recently as last week, and a woman fought off a would-be purse snatcher at the Henry’s Farmers Market parking lot there in January

As La Mesa police have done in the past, the arrest of “the most prolific criminals” could make a big dent in local crime rates, he said.

He likened this to the notion that “10 percent of the fisherman catch 90 percent of the fish,” and hoped that arrests in the Feb. 4 and Nov. 22, 2010, robberies of Sunny Donuts could harpoon other crimes as well.

Residents attending the forum heard several officers give updates on sex-offender checks and asked a variety of questions that have popped up at earlier forums—including whether La Mesa’s crime rate is as high as depicted in the newspapers.

To that question, Lanning noted the fact that serious crimes here in 2009 were at a four-decade low, so when first-quarter 2010 figures were released showing year-to-year increase in such crimes—part of what Lanning called “a perfect storm” of several sprees—the increase drew press attention.

But 2010’s overall crime rate was 9 percent over the relatively low 2009 rate, Lanning said.

Reallocation of police resources and help from neighboring agencies helped end this early 2010 crime series, he said.

Last year, La Mesa police recorded 68 robberies—the second-lowest number since 1987, Lanning said.

The city’s crime rates are “comparatively low,” he said, but they slipped in comparison with other cities in the county.

 “[The] goal is to bring the rate down as fast as we can,” he told residents.

One resident’s concern about rowdy trolleys on the Orange Line during sports events brought a response from Larry Savoy of the Metropolitan Transit System, which operates the trolley and bus system.

Savoy, assistant director for security for MTS, said, “It’s a challenge—no two ways about it” but station officers are increased during Padres and Chargers games, and the Orange Line through La Mesa could have security cameras operating in the next three years.

On the topic of sex offenders, Officer Angela DeSarro said the Sheriff's Department is working on a system that would alert citizens when such offenders move into a neighborhood. Until then, residents can check where sex offenders live by visiting the Megan’s Law website.

The system isn’t perfect, however, she said. Offenders who fail to register can be charged with a separate offense, but the penalty can vary depending on whether their crime was a felony or misdemeanor.

Earlier, Lanning encouraged residents to check several websites with crime information about La Mesa, including the Automated Regional Justice Information System of San Diego and the unofficial lamesaneighborhoodwatch.com.

He also noted the Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, training website, which aims to augment Neighborhood Watch as a way to prepare residents for disasters and relieve possible strain on the 911 system. Such training takes place in various locales, including Fire Station offices at 8054 Allison Ave.

Wednesday’s forum followed others at Northmont, Rolando and Vista La Mesa Academy, and took place in the school auditorium, where a single gate on Glen State allowed access to the school. All others were closed, and no signs were posted, forcing some visitors to search for an entrance.