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$218K in stolen retail merchandise found in backyard of L.A. home

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

Authorities with the California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Theft Task Force on Wednesday announced the recovery of more than $200,000 worth of stolen merchandise and the arrest of 10 suspects in connection with a retail theft fencing operation. On Sept. 13, CHP partnered with LAPD’s newly formed Los Angeles Organized Retail Crime Task Force, to investigate the fencing operation, which was selling stolen retail merchandise at swap meets in the L.A. area, according to a new CHP news release.  A “fence” is either a person or group of individuals that buy merchandise stolen during smash-and-grab robberies and organized retail thefts, such as “flash-mob” style crimes, and then sell those goods as a seemingly legitimate business, online or at swap meets.  Investigators located the operation, which was being run out of the backyard of a private residence where the stolen merchandise was kept under tents and inside a box truck.  At the scene, CHP and LAPD officers foun...

Man stole over $1.7 million from SoCal banks in check fraud scheme

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

A SoCal man was sentenced to prison for stealing over $1.7 million from major banks in a check fraud scheme.Ara Malkhasyan, 52, of Winnetka, was sentenced to 6 years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty in April 2021 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.Malkhasyan was the “ringleader and mastermind of a check-kiting scheme” that also involved his wife, brother-in-law and other family members, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.From May 2015 to Sept. 2017, Malkhasyan and his accomplices obtained stolen Armenian passports and altered the documents to include photos of themselves.They used the fraudulent documents to obtain other identity documents in order to open bank accounts.Once secured, Malkhasyan and his co-conspirators wrote bad checks to other fraudulently obtained bank accounts while exploiting bank rules that allowed them to transfer money from one account to another. 3 arrested for burglaries targeting ...

The 10 most expensive homes reported sold in Fremont in the week of Sep. 11

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

A house in Fremont that sold for $2.4 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Fremont in the past week.In total, 10 residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $1.7 million. The average price per square foot ended up at $997.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Sep. 11 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $1.3 million, condominium in the 49000 block of MeadowfaireThe property in the 49000 block of Meadowfaire in Fremont has new owners. The price was $1,320,000. The condominium was built in 2004 and has a living area of 1,400 square feet. The price per square foot is $943. The condominium features three bedrooms and four bathrooms.9. $1.4 million, single-family house in the 4200 block of Margery DriveThe property in the 4200 block of Margery Drive in Fremont has new owners. The price was $1,357,000. The house ...

Moroccan woman with Bay Area ties raises thousands of dollars for earthquake relief

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

(KRON) -- Entire villages were wiped out during the massive earthquake that shook Morocco nearly two weeks ago. A native Moroccan woman with ties to the Bay Area happened to be visiting family in the North African country when the quake hit.The woman is now raising money to help people who have lost everything rebuild their lives. Stressed roads lined with heavy emergency equipment lead to remote villages in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. An area devastated during the North African country's biggest earthquake in 120 years.Moroccan native Zayna Aouni documented the damage through a lens during her trip back home. PHOTOS: San Francisco burger restaurant broken into overnight "There is, like, over 200 villages that all got destroyed and some are completely got vanished," Aouni said.Auoni lives in France now after relocating from the Bay Area years ago. She often visits her parents who live in Marrakesh and was asleep in their home when the 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck."I just fe...

Mark Vientos homers twice, Kodai Senga goes 6 innings, Mets beat Marlins 8-3

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Mark Vientos had his first career multi-homer game, Brandon Nimmo hit a home run, double and single, and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 8-3 on Wednesday night.Kodai Senga threw six innings of two-run ball while Brett Baty also went deep for the Mets, who clinched the three-game series against the playoff-contending Marlins. Miami remains one-half game behind the Cubs — who also lost Wednesday — for the third NL wild-card spot.Senga (12-7) gave up seven hits, struck out three and walked two. The rookie from Japan has allowed two runs or less in his last eight starts.“When it comes to today, it’s all about the defense,” Senga said through a translator. “The defense helped me. If it weren’t for them, I probably would have been out of the game a lot sooner.”Marlins infielder Luis Arraez missed his second straight game because of a left ankle sprain. Arraez, who leads the major leagues with a .354 batting average, stepped on a baseball during pre-game infield drill...

Herrera helps Dynamo start fast in 4-1 victory over Whitecaps

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Héctor Herrera and Griffin Dorsey scored first-half goals and the Houston Dynamo breezed to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday night. Houston (12-10-7) ran its regular-season unbeaten streak to seven (4-0-3), its longest run since an eight-match streak in 2012.The Dynamo scored first on an unassisted goal by Herrera in the 13th minute. It was his fourth goal of the season. Houston took a 2-0 lead into halftime when Griffin Dorsey took a pass from Corey Baird in the 44th minute and scored for the first time this season.Houston pushed its lead to 4-0 on goals by Iván Franco — his third of the season — in the 73rd minute and Ibrahim Aliyu — also his third — unassisted in the 84th minute. Brad Smith assisted on Franco’s goal. Steve Clark was in line for his league-leading 12th clean sheet of the season for Houston until an own-goal by defender Erik Sviatchenko put Vancouver (11-9-8) on the scoreboard in the 90th minute. He had four saves. Yohei ...

Fields says he’s being given too much info by Bears coaches, needs to trust instincts

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields indicated he is being given too much information by the coaching staff and thinking too much as a result rather than trusting his instincts.Fields said he played “kind of robotic” in last week’s loss at Tampa Bay. “Could be coaching, I think,” he said Wednesday. “They are doing their job when they are giving me what to look at, but at the end of the day, I can’t be thinking about that when the game comes. I prepare myself throughout the week, and then when the game comes, it’s time to play free at that point. Thinking less and playing more.”Fields’ comments at the podium come after two discouraging losses to start a season in which the Bears hope to show signs of improvement. He said later in the locker room that his quotes were taken out of context and that he is not blaming the coaches.He struggled against Green Bay at Soldier Field and didn’t fare any better against the Buccaneers.Fields was ...

Prince George’s Co. animal shelter resumes adoptions after canine flu outbreak

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

Adoptions are once again available at the Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center, but visits to adopt dogs will be virtual and by appointment only.Wednesday’s “soft opening” to find a furry canine friend comes after the facility had to close at the end of August due to an outbreak of canine influenza.As part of the effort to get animals into permanent homes, adoption fees for all available animals are being waived until the end of the month.During the quarantine period, animals affected by the virus were treated and cared for by staff. Random testing has also been taking place, and after negative results were recorded, the decision to resume adoptions was made.Andrea Crooms, the director of the county’s Department of the Environment, explains that dog adoption appointments are being held virtually to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.According to information provided by Crooms’ department, canine influenza does not affect humans, b...

Drury has 2 homers and 5 RBIs as Angels beat playoff-bound Rays 8-3

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Drury homered twice with five RBIs and the Los Angeles Angels stopped a six-game skid by beating the AL wild card-leading Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Wednesday night.Tampa Bay remained 2 1/2 games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East. “We were watching the game earlier,” Rays catcher Christian Bethancourt said of the Orioles’ 2-1 loss at Houston. “The situation that we are in, knowing that they lost, we just didn’t take advantage of the situation.”Drury hit a three-run drive off Aaron Civale (7-5) during a four-run second that put the Angels ahead 6-0. He made it 8-1 on his 23rd homer, a two-run drive in the sixth against Erasmo Ramírez.“Pretty impressive,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “He can really hit.”Los Angeles had been outscored 38-13 during its skid.The teams combined to strike out 30 times, including 19 by Los Angeles batters. The Angels’ Jo Adell fanned four times, and four teammates struck out three at-bats each.“I...

Cubs lose for 6th time in 7 games, 13-7 defeat to Pirates as Palacios hits 3-run homer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:22 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Joshua Palacios hit a three-run homer in a seven-run fourth inning and the Chicago Cubs’ postseason drive remained stalled with their sixth loss in seven games, 13-7 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.Connor Joe hit a two-run homer in the sixth as All-Star Justin Steele (16-5) lost his second straight start, allowing six runs and eight hits in three-plus innings.Chicago (79-73), which has lost nine of 12, remained a half-game ahead of Miami (79-74) for the third NL wild card spot, with Cincinnati (79-75) another half-game back.Ian Happ’s third career grand slam, a drive off Mitch Keller (13-9) in a five-run fifth, cut the deficit to 8-6. Christopher Morel started the inning with his 24th homer, a 440-drive to left that sailed to Waveland Avenue.Joe, who finished with three hits, homered off Mark Leiter Jr. Jared Triolo added a solo shot for Pittsburgh.Keller, like Steele a first-time All Star in 2023, yielded seven runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 inn...