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The Irvine Police seek help identifying a sexual battery suspect
May 28, 2021 - Crime, News - No Comments

On Monday, May 24, 2021, a man committed a sexual battery against an 11-year-old girl inside Target, located at 13200 Jamboree Road. The victim was with her family inside the store when a man began following her. The victim briefly separated from her family and went to another aisle. The man approached her from behind…

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An astute Irvine police officer made a big drug bust at a hotel parking lot
May 28, 2021 - Crime, Drugs, News - No Comments

On Tuesday, May 25, 2021, an Irvine Police Department officer was patrolling a hotel parking lot in Irvine and contacted an adult male seated in the driver’s seat of his vehicle with the engine running. While speaking to the male, the officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. A search of…

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Irvine Subaru helps a local child’s wish come true to feed the homeless
May 28, 2021 - Charities, News - No Comments

Orange County/Inland Empire, Calif. – Irvine Subaru, who has donated more than $42,000 from its Share the Love Event and Hometown Charities campaigns, they also are collaborating with Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire (OCIE) to help one local wish kid enhance her wish of having a canned food drive to help feed the…

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The Irvine police arrested a dealer for selling cannabis to minors
May 26, 2021 - Crime, News - 1 Comment

An Irvine resident tipped off Irvine PD after seeing drug transactions involving juveniles in Irvine. Irvine Police Department detectives conducted surveillance and observed four large boxes being delivered to two juveniles in a parking lot in Tustin. Detectives stopped the parties and found 2,000 “PLUG” brand THC cartridges, 1,500 of which were sold to the…

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The Irvine police arrested a suspect on mail theft and DUI charges

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Last night at 12:30 a.m., an alert resident contacted the Irvine Police Department to report an individual stealing mail from community mailboxes in the Portola area.

IPD Officers responded and located the suspect’s vehicle using directions from the witness. Officers stopped the suspect and determined he was driving under the influence of drugs.

35-year-old Joshua Thompson, who has been arrested several times in previous weeks for mail theft, was found to be in possession of mail belonging to numerous Irvine residents. Thompson was arrested for mail theft and DUI and was sent back to Orange County Jail.

Mail theft leads to other crimes like identity theft, fraud, and forgery. Please retrieve your mail regularly and follow our Crime Prevention tips, posted weekly on all of our social media platforms. As always, notify the police department immediately if you see a crime in progress.

Suspect arrested by the Irvine police after a fatal DUI crash

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Pedro Pantoja Jr., a 29-year-old, was arrested by the Irvine Police on Sunday, April 18, after he was involved in a fatal car crash which he fled from eventually causing a second crash in Irvine.

The first crash happened at about 8:45 a.m. at the 2800 block of Park Ave., near the Costco at the District at Tustin.

David Kawashima, a 62-year-old man from Orange, was killed in the first crash. He died at the scene.

As the Tustin police were responding to that accident the suspect fled. A police pursuit began and it ended with another crash when the suspect north in the southbound lanes of Jamboree Road and collided with another vehicle north of Warner Avenue.

Pantoja Jr. was arrested by the Irvine police on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, causing injury to his passenger while driving under the influence, vehicle theft, a parole violation and evading a police officer.

The Irvine police responded to the second crash scene after their help was requested by the Tustin police as the incident happened on the border of Irvine and Tustin.

Pantoja was hospitalized after he was arrested. A female passenger in the car he was driving was also hospitalized. There were no details given by the Irvine police regarding their injuries.

The Irvine police are requesting that anyone with information on the fatal crash please call Detective Roberto Solis at 949-724-7024. Anonymous tips can also be called in to the O.C. Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227.

The Irvine police arrested three mail theft suspects in two separate cases

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IRVINE, Calif. (April 13, 2021) – Yesterday afternoon, IPD officers arrested 35-year-old Joshua Thompson for stealing mail in the area of Portola and Arrowhead. This morning, 27-year-old Oscar Cruz-Guzman and 29-year-old Emily Hernandez were arrested for mail theft in the area of Montanas Este and San Joaquin.

Yesterday, shortly after 3:00 p.m., witnesses observed an adult male in a white Toyota Scion stealing mail from unsecured mailboxes in the area of Portola and Arrowhead. A witness on a bicycle gave chase while another witness called IPD. The bicyclist saw an officer in the area and was able to point out the suspect vehicle as it drove away. The officer stopped the suspect and located piles of mail on the front passenger seat. It was determined Thompson stole mail from 39 different victims in Irvine and Mission Viejo. He was arrested and booked at the Orange County Jail for mail theft with a prior conviction.

At approximately 5:00 a.m. this morning, an officer was patrolling a neighborhood near Montanas Este and San Joaquin when he noticed a vehicle leaving the area. He stopped the vehicle driven by Oscar Cruz-Guzman, and learned he had active warrants for drug related offenses. A search of the vehicle revealed several pieces of stolen mail from two victims in Irvine. A female passenger in the vehicle, Emily Hernandez, had several master mailbox keys in her possession. Hernandez was arrested for mail theft, possession of burglary tools and possession of narcotics. Cruz-Guzman was arrested for outstanding warrants, mail theft, possession of burglary tools and drug paraphernalia.

Mail thieves typically seek credit cards or mail containing personal identifying information to be used for fraud related crimes. Please retrieve your mail regularly to help avoid becoming a victim.

Irvine man faces hate crime charges after attacking a woman in Tustin

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On April 11, 2021 at approximately 10:42 am, Tustin Police officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Valencia Avenue regarding a possible assault and battery. Officers contacted the victim and confirmed she had been assaulted by the suspect.

The victim informed officers the suspect made racial comments and punched her in the stomach. During the altercation, the victim pepper sprayed the suspect. The suspect fled the scene prior to the officers arrival.

The suspect was later located by officers and taken into custody without incident. The suspect has been identified as Jauhar Tajuddin Shuaib, a 42-year old resident of Irvine, California.

The suspect was arrested and booked into Orange County Jail for the following charges:

  • CPC 422.6(a): Hate Crime/Assault Based in Whole or In Part of the Victim’s Race;
  • CPC 245(a)(4): Assault with Force likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury;
  • CPC 647.6(a)(2): Sexually Motivated Annoyance;
  • CPC 241.2(a): Assault in a Public Park;
  • CPC 653b(a): Loitering about a Place Where Children Congregate;
  • CPC 415(1): Disturbing the Peace;
  • TMC 7112(h): Abusive or Profane Language Prohibited.

If anyone has any information or video regarding this incident or any unreported crimes that may be related to Shuaib, please contact Detective Eric Haug at 714-573-3246.

Irvine man tried to avenge crimes against Asians by kidnapping and trying to sexually assault a woman

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Irvine, Calif. (April 9, 2021) – Last night, Irvine Police arrested 37-year-old Michael Sangbong Rhee for kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual assault against a woman at an apartment complex.

Yesterday afternoon, at approximately 1:30 p.m., an adult female of Asian descent was sitting in the driver’s seat of her vehicle near her apartment in the area of Harvard and Coronado. Her driver side door was open and she looked up to see Rhee standing at the driver’s side door holding a handgun. She did not recognize Rhee and he told her if she wanted to live, she needed to get in the back of her car. The victim offered Rhee her wallet and money and he said they would “do that later.” He then opened the rear passenger door and pushed her onto the backseat. The victim believed she was going to be sexually assaulted or killed and began to look for an opportunity to escape. As she struggled with Rhee, he committed a sexual battery against her. The victim yelled to a maintenance worker nearby that Rhee had a gun. Rhee then exited the vehicle, ran through the apartment community, and got into his vehicle. Surveillance cameras captured his license plate as he was leaving the complex.

The Irvine Police Department (IPD) and the City of Irvine do not tolerate violent crimes against women or hate-related crimes in our community. IPD detectives immediately followed up on the license plate information, which led them to Rhee’s residence in Lake Forest. Rhee was contacted at his home and he was detained. Detectives obtained and served a search warrant and several items were recovered from his home and vehicle linking him to the assault. One of the items collected from the vehicle was a BB gun similar to the weapon described by the victim.

Rhee was arrested late last night and booked at Orange County Jail for kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual assault. He is being held on $1,000,000 bail.

Based on the totality of the investigation and statements made by Rhee, detectives believe he targeted the victim because he thought she was White. Detectives also believe the assault was retaliation for hate crimes committed against the Asian community. IPD detectives will be adding hate crime charges to the complaint filed with the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact Detective Haldor Larum at (949) 724-7194 or email hlarum@cityofirvine.org.

Crime Survivors, Boomers to Host Easter Springtime Celebration for Crime Victims on April 3

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(Santa Ana, CA) – Crime Survivors Resource Center is partnering with Boomers of Irvine to provide hope and healing to hundreds of victims of crime, survivors, and families this Easter Season.  The event will take place from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 3rd, 2021, and will include miniature golf, go kart racing, and Easter giveaways.

“Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life,” said Patricia Wenskunas, CEO of Crime Survivors Resource Center. “With these events, we hope to empower survivors of crime with hope and healing so they can truly enjoy celebrating the holidays with friends and family.  Thank you to Boomers of Irvine for steadfastly supporting Crime Survivors for nearly 20 years straight.”

This year and location are particularly special as Wenskunas will also be celebrating her 19th year of surviving attempted murder at the same location and business that gave Crime Survivors one its very first donations and hosted its first event on April 4, 2004.

About Crime Survivors Resource Center

Crime Survivors Resource Center is a Southern California-based, non-profit organization (Tax ID 30-0229425) which brings victims, families and survivors together with law enforcement agencies and victim service providers, to empower them. The mission of Crime Survivors is to provide hope and healing to victims and survivors of crime through advocacy and the support of resources, information, and empowerment from the critical time after a crime occurs through the challenges and successes of surviving and thriving. To learn more about the organization, please visit: www.crimesurvivors.org.

Free dental screenings for Irvine residents on April 10

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The City of Irvine has partnered with Mobile Dental USA to provide free dental screenings for Irvine residents of all ages. The dental screening will be conducted by experienced doctors and dental residents from UCLA and UCI, supervised by a current UCLA teaching faculty member.

The dental screening will take place at Lakeview Senior Center on Saturday, April 10, with 20-minute appointments available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Appointments are required, and registration is available now at yourirvine.org.

The purpose of the dental screening will be to evaluate the patient’s dental and oral health status and provide guidance. No dental procedures or treatments will be performed.

To register, visit yourirvine.org, or call 949-724-6900 for assistance. To provide adequate attention to each patient, no drop-in appointments are available.

Traffic stop leads to a large drug bust in Irvine

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O.C. Sheriff narcotics investigators seized thousands of illicit pills, drugs, guns and cash after a traffic stop in South Orange County.  

At about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the city of Irvine, which resulted in the discovery of illicit pills stamped as known prescription medication. Investigators collected 40,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and 10,000 counterfeit Xanax pills containing fentanyl.

The roadside seizure led to the issuance of a warrant to search the suspect’s Irvine residence where investigators collected additional substances including two pounds of the hallucinogenic psilocybin, 29 grams of cocaine, and 800 THC vape cartridges. An additional 6,515 pills of illicit Adderall containing methamphetamine and 10,100 illicit Xanax pills containing fentanyl also were found at the residence, along with two handguns, one assault rifle, and about $124,000 in cash.

The 24-year-old man was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of felony possession of narcotics for sale, felony transport of narcotics for sale, and felony possession of controlled substances for sale.

Twin YouTube stars plead guilty to charges involving fake Irvine bank robberies

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – Twin brothers who star in YouTube videos featuring pranks on unsuspecting people pleaded guilty to misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting false emergencies in connection with a pair of fake bank robberies in Irvine that resulted in their Uber driver being held at gunpoint by police. The Uber driver was not involved in the prank.

Alan and Alex Stokes, 23 of Irvine, had been each charged with one felony count of false imprisonment effected by violence, menace, fraud, or deceit and two misdemeanor counts of falsely reporting an emergency in connection with the October 15, 2019 pranks.

They each faced a maximum sentence of five years in jail if convicted on all counts.

The guilty pleas were in exchange for a judge reducing the felony false imprisonment charge to a misdemeanor. Prosecutors objected on the record and in a trial brief to the court’s offer to reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor.

The Stokes brothers were each sentenced to 160 hours of community service, one year formal probation, and ordered to pay restitution. The judge also ordered the brothers to stay away from the University of Irvine – the location of one of the crimes – and to stop making videos that mimic criminal behavior.

On October 15, 2019, at about 2:30 p.m., the Stokes brothers are accused of being dressed all in black, wearing ski masks, and carrying duffle bags full of cash as they pretended they had just robbed a bank while their videographer filmed it.

They ordered an Uber and when they got in the vehicle the Uber driver, who was unaware of the prank, refused to drive them. A bystander witnessed this, believing the two men had just robbed a bank and were attempting to carjack the Uber driver.

Irvine police arrived and ordered the Uber driver out at gunpoint. He was released after police determined he was not involved.

Police issued a warning to the Stokes brothers about the dangerousness of their conduct and let them go.

Four hours later the Stokes brothers performed the same kind of prank on the campus of the University of California, Irvine. Police again received emergency calls regarding a potential bank robbery.

“These crimes could have easily resulted in someone being seriously hurt or killed,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “An active bank robbery is not a casual police response and these police officers were literally risking their lives to help people they believed were in danger. It is irresponsible and reckless that these two individuals cared more about increasing their number of followers on the internet than the safety of those police officers or the safety of the innocent Uber driver who was ordered out of his car at gunpoint.”

Deputy District Attorney Laila Nikaien of Special Prosecutions prosecuted this case.

Orange County to progress from the Red Tier to Orange on Wed., March 31

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Santa Ana, Calif. (March 30, 2021) –Today the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that effective Wednesday, March 31, Orange County (OC) will move into the Orange Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy after having successfully achieved Orange Tier metrics for two weeks.

As a result, many local businesses and activities in OC will either be allowed to expand capacity or resume operations. Please visit the State’s website at https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy, enter Orange in the County field and business or activity of interest in the Activity field and click the Get Latest Risk Levels button to view its status under the Orange Tier.

As an additional resource, residents may visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID-19/Dimmer-Framework-September_2020.pdf for the activities and businesses that are permitted under each Tier by the State.

Continued adherence to non-medical public health mitigation measures such as wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth, washing hands frequently with soap and water, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces, and practicing physical distancing from those outside your household will help limit the impact of variants circulating in Southern California, particularly as more indoor activities open and expand operations.

Residents who have not yet received a vaccination against COVID-19 are encouraged to register at www.Othena.com to be placed in the virtual waiting room and notified when it is their turn to schedule an appointment. For the latest eligibility guidelines, please visit https://coronavirus.egovoc.com/covid-19-vaccination-distribution. Those needing assistance with Othena may call the County of Orange’s COVID-19 Hotline 7 days a week from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at (714) 834-2000.

Additional information and resources:

For the latest COVID-19 information, visit http://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus, or follow the HCA on Facebook (@ochealthinfo) and Twitter (@ochealth).