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Posted on 01/21/2003 2:59:57 AM PST by runningbear
Edited on 04/13/2004 1:55:36 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Hi there L8!
Police probe theft at Peterson home
January 21, 2003 Posted: 04:45:12 AM PST
By PATRICK GIBLIN
BEE STAFF WRITER
Burglars broke into Scott and Laci Peterson's home while he was in Los Angeles organizing an effort to find his missing wife, police said.
Peterson's wife, Laci Peterson, disappeared Christmas Eve. He has told police he last saw his wife, who is due to deliver a baby boy next month, at 9:30 a.m. that day as he left to go fishing.
Peterson reported the break-in after returning home Sunday night.
"Detectives don't believe the burglary is connected to the Peterson case," said Detective Doug Ridenour, spokesman for the Modesto Police Department.
Police would not say what was taken from the home. "It wasn't that much stuff," Ridenour said.
Peterson reported the break-in at 7:46 p.m. Sunday. He had been in Los Angeles from Thursday morning until Sunday evening, Ridenour said.
A window was broken in the home to gain entry.
"We are currently investigating this break-in and we are not prepared to release much information," said Sgt. Michael Zahr, supervisor of detectives. "Detectives are working on leads that may solve this case (the burglary) soon, and we don't want to interfere in identifying the suspects."
Early Monday morning, Peterson put a padlock on his front gate.
Neighbors said the burglary added to the feeling that the street is under siege. Since Laci Peterson disappeared, dozens of cars have driven past her home in the 500 block of Covena Street every day. Reporters have camped out along the street, and at least one other home was burglarized.
"Can anything more happen to that poor family?" asked neighbor Pat Young. "Isn't it enough what they are going through, and then to have this added?"
She said the home was probably burglarized because anyone with a television who watched the news knew that Scott Peterson would be in Los Angeles.
Sunday, Peterson and his family passed out more than 2,000 fliers to volunteers who posted them throughout the area. The posters offer a $500,000 reward for Laci Peterson's safe return.
Scott Peterson's side of the family has announced plans to do more to find Laci Peterson, a family spokeswoman said Monday.
"They are concentrating on the Web site and looking at the creation of a 1-800 number," said Waltona Manion, whose stepdaughter is Janey Peterson, Scott's sister-in-law. "They also are looking at doing another one-day outreach, possibly in San Diego."
She said the family would reveal dates for that event this week.
Laci Peterson's family was not at the Los Angeles event. They distanced themselves from Scott Peterson last week after a family member said police told them they believe Scott Peterson was having an affair and had taken out a $250,000 life insurance policy on his wife.
Peterson has denied the affair.
Thursday, Laci Peterson's family closed a volunteer center that has been operating at the Red Lion Hotel in Modesto since Dec. 26. All the boxes, chairs and computers were moved out of the hotel Monday morning.
Officials with the DoubleTree Hotel in Westwood said Monday that there was some backlash from the volunteer event hosted there Sunday.
Hotel general manager Joe Titizian said several people called to threaten to boycott the hotel chain for helping Scott Peterson. Peterson has not been named as a suspect in his wife's disappearance, but he has not been ruled out, police said.
"The event took place with the blessings of both families," Titi-zian said. "The hotel stands behind both families and is not taking sides."
In other developments in the case:
Police officials said they received 200 calls to the tips line established for Laci Peterson from Friday through Monday morning. "They are still coming in, but they aren't coming in like they used to," Ridenour said. So far, the Police Department has received more than 3,000 tips, he said.
The number of officers working on the Peterson case is down to about 40, Ridenour said, from a high of more than 100 in the first few days. "There are fewer officers because they have finished following leads and can get back to their regular duties," he said, adding most of the investigations unit still is working on the case.
Bee staff writer Patrick Giblin can be reached at 578-2347 or pgiblin@modbee.com.
More on today's story of the burglary.
That clears up the lock issue from yesterday.
Guess I can clean my house today. Nothing new in the SP case.
It amazes me to read how people can discount the picture evidence of Scott and his girlfriend? Some even doubt the validity of them.
Laci's OWN family, who loved and supported Scott, have totally accepted the evidence at face value, and that should be proof positive for any skeptics out there.
Meanwhile, Scott continues to gather his support group.
It may take years to sort this out...sigh.
sw
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