WEEKEND #9, 2006

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

AREA POLICE INVESTIGATE THEFTS FROM AUTOS

A woman called Rehoboth Beach police Saturday claiming that the window of her car had been smashed while she was on the beach. She reported it around 12:25 p.m. The car was parked on Philadelphia Avenue in front of the Mariners Court condos.

Police discussing the incident over the radio said the woman claimed her purse (later described as a green change purse) was missing. Two state troopers were also on scene investigating with Rehoboth officers on Saturday.

The dispatcher suggested it possibly sounded similar to another case. Police checked vehicles along the street, and asked Dewey Beach police if the department had any similar cases.

Dewey police reported none, but Sgt. Melissa Zebley, state police spokesperson, said in an e-mail Sunday that the state police are investigating thefts from vehicles in the Rehoboth area and might have some leads. She added that Cpl. Jeff Oldham may provide more details on Monday.

The front passenger side window of this burgundy car (above) was discovered broken early Saturday afternoon. A state trooper and two Rehoboth Beach officers discuss the incident (below).

THREE MORE VEHICLES TOWED FROM LIFEGUARD SPACES

Rehoboth Beach police towed -- or almost towed -- at least three unauthorized vehicles from reserved lifeguard parking spaces this past week.

Coastal Towing removed this blue mini-van from Stockley Street this past Monday. An officer remained on scene about 40 minutes until the van was removed at 1:30 p.m. This was the fourth time this season the beach patrol called police to remove vehicles from this parking space. Police responded at least nine times last season when unauthorized vehicles were discovered parked in this same parking space on Stockley St.

When Tim Boronow (above right, in blue shirt and shorts) returned to his red van for lunch Friday, he said he found the two police officers preparing to tow it away. Boronow, who comes from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, said he was under the impression that the left-parking space on Brooklyn Avenue (above, left) was not reserved for lifeguards. The curb to the right of the sign was painted yellow, then blacked-out, which he said he assumed meant it was reserved for lifeguard parking. The curb for the space to the left, he noted, was not painted.

Officers briefly discussed the curb markings over the radio, but Boronow said they told him they had no choice but to issue him a $25 ticket plus he had to pay a "show up" fee to Coastal Towing, which had not yet arrived. He had more than an hour's time remaining in the parking meter. Two officers were here for 40 minutes until the Coastal Towing driver arrived to collect his $40 fee.

This picture was taken as the red Ford Escort station wagon (above, right) was being towed from the Norfolk Street parking space on Thursday. Unlike the signs on Stockley and Saint Lawrence Streets, this sign is almost exactly on the center line that divides the two reserved lifeguard parking spaces. One officer, assisted 10 minutes later by a bike officer, remained here for 40 minutes until Blue Hen towed the Escort to the city's impound lot around 1:40 p.m.

LINGO'S SATURDAY CHECK-INS

More than 70 people wait in Disney World-style lines Saturday just before 2 p.m. This is the check-in line for weekly tenants at the Jack Lingo real-estate office on Rehoboth Avenue. The line wraps around as it approaches the building.

GOING HOME!

Photo by Bob Pugh, Blind Spot News Service.