Taylor recognized the camera, and the young man said he had purchased it for $400 from a 19-year-old Laguna Beach resident. After calling police but being told that no one could respond to the incident, Taylor decided to take matters into his own hands.
He called the teenager himself, offering not to prosecute if the money was returned to the man who bought the camera, and if his valuable tape was returned.
“It was a one-in-a-million thing,” Taylor said.
The teenager who had sold the camera said he had found it knocked over and didn’t realize the owner would come back looking for it.
Taylor had offered a $200 reward for its return.
Video catches alleged shoplifter at market
A Dec. 16 store video of a shoplifter stealing a alcoholic beverages from a market in the 800 block of Glenneyre Street led to a theft report filed Dec. 23 by the store owner, Laguna Beach Police Lt. Jason Kravetz said.
The owner was reviewing store video when he saw a person in the video stealing four cans of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Kravetz said. The total loss was $10. The suspect was recognized as a regular customer in the store; he stole the cans by stuffing them down the front of his pants.
Stolen bicycle returned; alleged thief arrested
A Laguna Beach resident’s stolen bicycle was returned by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which arrested the alleged thief and contacted the bicycle owner Dec. 23, Kravetz said.
The owner of the bicycle, which is valued at $200, said he had not reported the theft, which occurred between Dec. 21 and 22. Kravetz said he did not know the identity of the suspect.
Man reports assault, robbery at park
An 18-year-old man accused an acquaintance of assault and robbery at Alta Laguna Park on Dec. 18, Kravetz said.
