Sheriff's Department Offers Free Residential Vacation Checks

Free Residential Checks

The Sheriff's Department issued a reminder Friday that free residential vacation checks will be conducted upon request for those living within its service areas.

More than 400 members of the department's Senior Volunteer Patrol are available to keep a watchful eye on people's homes during out-of-town holiday travels, as well as at any other time of the year.

The personnel perform home security inspections every day but Sunday, checking to make sure doors, windows and garage are secured, and moving newspapers and packages into yards or onto back patios so they're not visible from the street.

If the volunteers see anything suspicious, they call for the assistance of a deputy to determine if there's been a break-in or other crime at the property.

Upon their return, participating residents get a letter listing the dates of the checks and observations made during the visits.

Those interested in signing up for the service must fill out a form that can be found online -- at sdsheriff.net/patrolstations/docs/pat50.doc -- and submit it to the sheriff's station nearest their home.

A list of the department's station locations and telephone numbers can be found online at sdsheriff.net/lesb_patrolstations.html.

Winner Fails to Claim Prize

The winner of Wednesday's $17 million SuperLotto Plus drawing, with a ticket bought in Lemon Grove, failed to claim the prize Friday, a California lottery official said.

That means the person who holds the ticket will have to wait until Tuesday to collect his or her winnings. Winners have six months to turn in their ticket.

Read the full story on LemonGrove.Patch.com.

Illegal Shark Fins

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials seized nearly 29 pounds of shark fins illegally brought into the country at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, officials confirmed Friday.

A 54-year-old woman entered the border through the pedestrian crossing about 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday. She was asked to place her belongings through an X-ray machine. An agricultural specialist noticed the illegal shark fins on two of the woman's bags, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Angelica De Cima said.

The woman, who is a Mexican citizen, was cited for violating the Lacey Act, a federal fish and wildlife trafficking law. Her visa was canceled and she was returned to Mexico, De Cima said.