Walnut Creek Resident Charged with False Reporting of a Crime

April 25, 2012 9:30 am

From a Moraga Police Department press release:

On 02-28-12 at approximately 6:55 PM, Moraga Police responded to the parking lot of the Rheem Valley Shopping Center to investigate an armed robbery report. Officers met Yang Chen, a 25 year old Walnut Creek resident, who reported that he had just been robbed at knifepoint by a black male in his 30’s, reportedly wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Chen reported that the suspect had brandished a large knife, and demanded Chen’s money. Chen said he handed the suspect $200 in cash and the suspect was last seen running north towards the intersection of Moraga Road and Rheem Blvd. Officers from Moraga, Lafayette, and Orinda Police departments responded immediately and conducted an intense, but unsuccessful, search for the suspect.

After a thorough investigation, including the creation and dissemination of a composite sketch of the suspect to all police agencies in Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano Counties, inconsistencies in Chen’s report led Moraga PD investigators to re-interview and challenge Chen’s account. Chen eventually admitted the event was entirely fictitious, and stated that he had concocted the story to observe how police react to an armed robbery.

The initial response by three police agencies, Moraga PD’s investigative time, and the cost of a sketch artist represents a significant and unnecessary use of public funds. Additionally, the sketch of the fictitious black suspect unnecessarily caused local law enforcement to focus on any look-alike as a potential armed suspect. The false report also caused safety concerns for local citizens and, as a result, may have negatively impacted the retailers in the shopping center.

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has filed a misdemeanor charge of violating section 148.5 of the Penal Code (False Reporting of a Crime) against Chen, with an initial court appearance scheduled on May 7th at 8:30 a.m. in Walnut Creek Superior Court.

I suppose it wouldn’t be appropriate to have a horse’s ass award on this site, but if it were, surely this would warrant it.

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Recently Opened – Dollar Tree in Moraga

April 20, 2012 11:30 am

Walnut Creek gets Neiman Marcus, Lafayette gets Whole Foods, and Moraga gets… Dollar Tree. Before it opened last year, there was quite a debate as to whether it should be approved or not, but obviously it was, and the result is the store pictured above. Some people argued that it would lower property values while others proclaimed that it would increase tax revenue for the city, as well as supporting the notion of a free market.

So if anyone from Walnut Creek, Lamorinda and elsewhere is looking for a marijuana drug test, the Moraga Dollar Tree has you covered:

And if you just can’t find a masculine enough aftershave at Target or The Art of Shaving, come down to the Moraga Dollar Tree for this:

Any opinions on the Moraga Dollar Tree? Are you happy with how it turned out, or would you have rather waited for another retailer?

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Moraga Produce Opens in Rheem Valley Shopping Center

April 10, 2012 8:30 am

Some news off the beaten path: Moraga now has an alternative produce store besides Safeway. Located at 576 Center St. in the Rheem Valley Shopping Center, Moraga Produce offers a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, including an organic section as well. Take a look at the inside below:

I think I noticed Mexican Coca Cola being sold which is great as it uses real cane sugar instead of corn syrup. If the quality of the produce is good I can see this being a popular place to stock up instead of Safeway or a trip to Orinda or Lafayette.

Moraga Produce also has stores in Walnut Creek and Concord, has anyone been to one of them? How is it?

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