The victim, whose age was not disclosed in the report, told police he was waiting for his mother when the four men, thought to be 18 or 19 years old, walked up to him, claimed they were Norteños and demanded that he empty his pockets.
The boy said he was told to leave the park or they would beat him up. Police checked the area, but were unable to locate the alleged thieves.
Tracy police received 157 calls for service Wednesday, March 21. The following is a sample of those calls.
1:12 a.m.: Three lawn gnomes were stolen from a front yard on the 900 block of F Street. The owner said he saw a man with a small dog running away.
7:28 a.m.: A window was reported as smashed on the 200 block of Laguna Drive.
8:45 a.m.: A woman said her elementary school-aged son on the 100 block of Mabel Josephine Court was threatened by a student from Kimball High School. Police checked and found there were no threats.
10:50 a.m.: A squawking bird had a resident on the 800 block of Traditions Court seeking police assistance. The resident told police his neighbors’ bird had been making a lot of noise in their garage. Police checked and left a notice for the bird’s owner.
11:56 a.m.: A woman was bitten by a dog on the 2600 block of Mario Drive. Police are investigating.
12:15 p.m.: A flightless pigeon was reported in a house on the 1800 block of Summertime Drive. The animal was impounded by animal control.
1:05 p.m.: A car window was broken and all four tires flattened on the 4100 block of English Oak Avenue.
1:21 p.m.: A woman called to say someone broke into her house and took her belongings on the 900 block of Suellen Drive. Police are investigating.
1:52 p.m.: A 2001 VW Beetle was reported as stolen on the 1000 block of Laurence Drive.
3:48 p.m.: A 1998 Honda Civic was reported as stolen on the 900 block of West Grant Line Road.
4:05 p.m.: A caller said he saw 150 teenagers in Larsen Park, 1401 S. Central Ave., and two appeared to be preparing to fight. Police checked, and the crowd dispersed. No one was seen fighting.
6:39 p.m.: A broken water pipe was reported at Central Elementary School, 1370 Parker Ave.
6:51 p.m.: A child was bitten four or five times on her right hand by a dog at John Erb Park, 2264 Barcelona Drive. Police talked to the dog’s owner, and the child was taken to a local hospital.
8:12 p.m.: A 2000 Lexus was reported as stolen from World Gym, 2340 East St.
• This column includes a sample of items as reported in the Tracy Police Department dispatcher’s daily log. Additional information is based on reports from officers and other law enforcement agencies. Charges may have been added or dropped as of press time, and all suspects are assumed innocent until proven guilty. To report information anonymously about a crime: Crime Stoppers, 831-6847.
[And the note may have read something like...]
To Whom It May Concern:
"Due to recent complaints re: "neighbors bird making a lot of noise in their garage" our goal is to provide the best possible solution in-order to resolve this problem."
'Squawking Bird meet Flightless Pigeon'.
12:15 p.m.: A flightless pigeon was reported in a house on the 1800 block of Summertime Drive. The animal was impounded by animal control.
"We feel this would supply both their needs given ample companionship to a captive audience."
Sounds like it's time for some armed undercover cops to go on a stakeout at the park.