At approximately 5 a.m. on July 7, Antioch police received a call of a suspicious circumstance on Shadow Lane in Antioch. This area is part of a large condominium development, and borders Highway 4. When officers arrived, they located several cut power lines that were either hanging or on the ground near that location.

Further investigation revealed that copper thieves had scaled large metal power poles that line the freeway, and cut multiple power lines attached to these poles. The lines were under extreme tension, and as a result some of the lines fell with sufficient force to damage approximately ten vehicles parked in the parking lot of the development.

There have been multiple similar incidents, not necessarily from the metal power poles, but from wooden poles in the Antioch area. The people responsible for these crimes will then attempt to turn in the copper for money at scrap yards.

Leads are being followed up on. Anyone with information to this theft or similar ones is asked to call Detective Krenz with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6866.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

After spending his entire law enforcement career with the Antioch Police Department, 45-year-old Allan Cantando rose through the ranks to become Antioch’s Chief of Police, last Friday, July 1. He was given the oath of office at an official ceremony, today, Thursday, July 7.

In attendance at the ceremony were a couple hundred family members and guests, including the mayor and city manager, current and past mayors and council members, community leaders, other police chiefs in the county, as well as three former Antioch Police Chiefs.

Both City Manager Jim Jakel and Mayor Jim Davis offered their remarks before Cantando was sworn in  by City Clerk Jolene Martin.

“Sometimes I second-guess myself,” Jakel said. “This is the right decision, right from the beginning.

“He’s held virtually every position in the department. He’d do a good job in any community. But he has connections. Just look at the diversity in this room. He’s linked in,” Jakel added.

Mayor Davis spoke directly to the new chief.

“It is with great pleasure that I congratulate you on your advancement, Allan, to Chief of Police. The council is 100% behind you.”

Then, with his wife Cherith by his side, holding their 17-month-old son, Connor, Cantando was given his oath of office by Martin, as cameras flashed and video cameras rolled to commemorate the event.

He then invited his father, Elwood “Woody” Cantando, to pin the chief’s lapel pin on his uniform.

Then an at-times emotional Cantando was given the microphone  and thanked his wife and family members, who he had introduced earlier, and the Chiefs of Police that had given him his start, and those who mentored him in his career, plus those in the Antioch Police Department.

“This is something I’ve dreamt about since I became a police officer,” he said. “Thank you to Jim Jakel for his confidence in me. I was overwhelmed by the support of the stakeholders in this community.”

He referred to a book about successful people, entitled “The Outliers” and how it takes being in the right place at the right time with people who have mentored them.

He spoke of Jim Nunes, the former Pleasant Hill Police Chief who gave him the opportunity to become a cadet in that police department.  Cantando shared how proud he was to wear “that cool, little shiny police badge.”

“I became a part of a profession I love,” he stated.

Cantando mentioned former Antioch Police Chief Len Herendeen who had hired him and was in attendance at the ceremony. He spoke of the recently retired Chief Jim Hyde who mentored him and finally of former Chief Mark Moczulski who encouraged him to apply for positions and promoted him to Lieutenant then Captain.

He concluded his remarks with a commitment.

“I love this department and love this city and as a department, we’ll make a collective difference,” Cantando stated.

On July 2 at 3:41 p.m. Antioch Police received several reports of shots fired from the apartment complex at 600 Wilbur Avenue. While police were en route, a 22-year-old male, of Lindsay, California, phoned 911 to say that he had been shot at by Joseph Sakamoto, 21, of Oakley, who was later determined to have fled the scene in a vehicle.

Upon arrival, police located the victim and determined he had received non-life threatening injuries to his head but no obvious gunshot wounds. The victim was transported by ambulance to a hospital for treatment.

A short time later Sakamoto called police and arranged to turn himself. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into county jail. The vehicle and firearm were also recovered and there are no outstanding suspects in this case. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation.

UPDATE: On June 23 the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed several felony counts against the below serial robbery suspects.
1) Maurice Brunson – Charged with 5 felonies plus enhancements
2) Erick Daigle – Charged with 19 felonies plus enhancements
3) Gyovanni Daigle – Charged with 15 felonies plus enhancements

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On June 20 at 9:49 p.m. Antioch Police detectives conducted surveillance on people suspected of committing numerous armed robberies in Antioch over the past several weeks as well as several other armed robberies in Contra Costa County, including Brentwood, Pittsburg, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Pacheco and Alamo.

Detectives saw Gyovanni Daigle, 20, Erick Daigle, 18, both of Antioch, and Maurice Brunson, 19, of Bay Point in a white Ford Thunderbird park behind the Domino’s Pizza on Buchanan Road. They watched as Erick Daigle and Brunson placed bandanas over their faces and robbed the restaurant at gun point, according to police. Detectives were able to alert Antioch Police patrol units who assisted in taking all three suspects into custody as they fled the scene.

A firearm, bandanas, and cash taken in the robbery were recovered from the Thunderbird and its occupants. Upon being interviewed, the Daigle brothers admitted to robbing three 7-11 stores in Antioch on May 28 and June 14, according to police. All three were booked at Martinez County Jail on robbery charges.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Santiago Castillo at (925) 779-6933.

300 Poles Downed Since Beginning of the Year!

A report on the CBS Channel 5 news website, yesterday, stated that copper thieves have hit PG&E hard in Antioch this year.  For the story, click here.

The story even made Matt Drudge’s national news website, at www.drudgereport.com with the headline “Copper Thieves Knock Down 300 Utility Poles In CA Town…“

On June 4 at approximately 12:45 a.m., Antioch police received a call about people gambling near a bar at 2500 Sycamore Drive. When officers arrived, they found several people kneeling on the ground with money and dice in front of them. As the officers approached, most of the gamblers fled.

One person, Aaron Harris, 42, of San Francisco, walked toward the officers. The officers observed that Harris had body armor under his sweatshirt. Harris acknowledged that he was wearing the body armor. As the officers looked closer at Harris, they saw that he had a gun inside the front pocket of his sweatshirt.

The officers attempted to give direction to Harris so that they could take him into custody. Instead, he neglected the commands and began to resist arrest. After a struggle Harris was taken into custody and the loaded gun was recovered.

During the apprehension, an unknown person fired off two rounds in the parking lot of the bar. Additional officers responded and gained control of the situation. The person responsible for firing off the rounds was never located.

Harris was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for numerous firearm violations, felon in possession of body armor and resisting arrest. He has a lengthy criminal history, which includes a 1989 conviction for possession of crack cocaine for sale in San Mateo County and a 1994 Contra Costa County conviction for assault with a firearm, first degree burglary and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to state prison in both of these cases.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Mortimer with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6941.

Kidnapping and Rape of Jaycee Dugard, Just Outside Antioch

According to ABC News Channel 7 in San Francisco, “Phillip Garrido was given the maximum possible sentence of 431 years to life in the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard” and “Nancy Garrido was sentenced to 36 years to life.”

See the complete Associated Press story and ABC News video, by clicking here.

The Garridos kidnapped Jayce Dugard when she was 11 years old and they held her captive for 18 years. Phillip Garrido raped Dugard and fathered two daughters by her. They lived in the unincorporated area on the northeast side of Antioch, in the neighborhood between E. 18th Street and Wilbur Avenue along Viera Avenue.

On May 26 just before 5:30 p.m., police received a call reporting that two people were seen climbing over the back fence of a home in the 3300 block of Camby Road.

Officers found Dominic Flowers, 18, and a 14-year-old male, both of Antioch, inside the residence. Flowers fled out of the back of the home and onto a trail to the rear. Officers were able to contain him in one of the nearby backyards, and he was eventually flushed out by police dog Thor

Flowers was taken into custody by officers on the perimeter, and the juvenile was taken into custody inside of the home without incident.