Rash of Burglaries, Suspicious Activity Rattles Sparr Heights

In a and alerts for Sparr Heights neighbors, officials encourage locals to report burglaries or suspicious activities immediately.

A man in his early 20s knocked on a door in the 3400 block of Sierra Vista Avenue about 5:30 p.m. on Monday, a Sparr Heights resident, who declined to give his name, told Patch.

The suspect asked if the homeowner was willing to help him, then described himself as a communications student, pulled out a syllabus, “but couldn’t articulate what he needed help on,” the resident said.

The man is in his early 20s, has light brown buzz-cut hair with several tattoos on his arms and near his neck. He is about 6 feet tall, has a thin build and carried a black backpack.

“I told him that I was not able to help and he went away,” the resident said, adding that the suspect went to several other homes nearby.

The resident reported the incident about two hours later, but said “the police officer on the phone was not helpful ... she basically chastised me for not calling right away and said there was nothing she [could] do and did not even let me tell the whole story.” 

Patch contacted Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz about the incident, which was not reported, he said. 

“We catch our crooks in the act when people call us to check them out,” Lorenz told Patch. “It could have been innocent, but why live in fear and then start asking your neighbors?”

Lorenz asks locals to report suspicious activity immediately. 

In another incident, neighbors woke up on Saturday, Oct. 1 to hear a loud screeching noise on Oak Circle Drive involving two stolen vehicles, Evan Gore, a Sparr Heights resident, told Patch via email.

When parents volunteers showed up to the school’s annual pancake breakfast they found an abandoned car crashed into a tree, Gore said.

An officer saw these vehicles, which were stolen out of Los Angeles, in the Sparr Heights area, Lorenz said.

“The vehicles fled and then the suspect’s jumped out after crashing,” Lorenz said. 

Both vehicles were recovered by Glendale police officers, Lorenz said. The suspects escaped and no description is available, he said.

Sparr Heights has had two other crime incidents during September, including a home and burglary at Fremont Elementary.

at the same location where a resident reported suspicious activity on Monday. In this burglary and suspect search the neighborhood, including Fremont Elementary, were placed on lockdown while helicopters loomed above and police dogs sniffed for the suspects.

on Sept. 9. Property damage and loss was estimated at $10,000.

Glendale police urge locals to report suspicious activity immediately at (818) 548-4911 or by dialing 911.