Crime & Safety

Strange Crimes and Misdemeanors in South Orange County

Calls to the sheriff's department aren't always what they seem.

Boy, we have some strange reports coming into our local police agencies!

Take this one from Mission Viejo . A couple calls in to report a robbery in progress. But there is no robbery in progress. It appears to be (allegedly) a drug-induced hallucination. The couple was arrested under the suspicion of drug use.

Here’s another report that didn’t go the way the caller expected. Someone calling from a San Clemente Denny’s reported a man harassing an intoxicated young woman and suspected it may be a date-rape situation. Instead, .

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Callers got this one wrong, too. A woman, supposedly shirtless and screaming from a car prompted passers-by in Rancho Santa Margarita to call 9-1-1 Saturday. Turns out the woman did have a shirt on and she was wailing because of a recent death in the family.

We’d say it’s still wise to call the authorities if you think you see a shirtless woman screaming from a car. On the other hand, maybe this wasn’t worth a call? Over in Aliso Viejo, someone called the sheriff’s department to complain about a “mean message” on Facebook.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The San Juan Capistrano Patch sheriff’s blotter is posted Tuesdays. Stay tuned!


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