BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Man jailed after alleged cigarette theft

A man on his way to Mexico ended up being held without parole after being accused of stealing a pack of cigarettes at a gas station in the 100 block of North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Bob Rahaeuser said.

Milos Peter Dobrasinovic, 36, tried to buy cigarettes on a debit card that was refused at 3:35 p.m. Oct. 15. He then allegedly took the cigarettes anyway, and police were alerted.

After the petty theft arrest, police discovered the suspect was on parole and he was taken to Orange County Jail, Rahaeuser said.

Tailgating stop ends in youth’s drug arrest

A Laguna Beach teenager was arrested on a drug charge at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17 after police pulled him over in the 200 block of South Coast Highway for tailgating, Rahaeuser said.

The suspect, a juvenile male, was in the vehicle with another juvenile male. Police became suspicious at the actions of the two, searched the youths and allegedly found 29 Ecstasy pills on one of them. He was arrested and released into the custody of his parents. The other youth was not charged. The suspect’s name is not being released because he is a minor.

Gallery seeks return of African sculpture

Laguna Beach police are investigating an allegation that an art buyer in New York refused to return a $47,000 sculpture that was shipped from Africa six months ago by Joseph Wise Gallery in Laguna and arrived in a damaged condition, Rahaeuser said.

The damaged sculpture was replaced, but the buyer had to pay $11,000 for the transport of the replacement sculpture.

The gallery told police at 11:54 a.m. Oct. 17 that the buyer was refusing to return the original sculpture.

‘Home invasion’ turns out to be dancing dispute

Laguna Beach police were called to the 2000 block of Queda Way at 7:25 a.m. Oct. 18 by a woman who claimed she was being held against her will in a “home invasion” robbery, Rahaeuser said.

She also claimed that her female friend had nearly been raped.

When police arrived, they found three men in the residence who said they had hired the women for $500 to entertain them by dancing. They accused the dancers of reneging on the arrangement by stopping the performance after 15 minutes and trying to leave the premises.

An argument ensued, and one of the dancers called 9-1-1.

Officers determined that no crime was committed and the dispute between the dancers and the clients was a civil matter.

The women were allowed to leave with the $500 payment.