Baby Formula

A woman and three men face 32 theft-related felony charges after they were arrested last week for allegedly taking part in a baby formula burglary ring. The 32 charges include felony counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, receiving stolen property and petty theft. ?The suspects have stolen baby formula from the La Cañada Vons seven times in the last two months,? said Los Angeles County Sheriff?s Sgt. Ray Harley. ?This theft was tied to other thefts in the Glendale and San Fernando area and parts of the Los Angeles Police Department?

Another string of baby formula thefts hit the area as two suspects allegedly stole seven cans of baby formula from Vons in the 600 block of Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada on Monday morning. ?Ah, the baby formula bandits,? Sgt. Ray Harley of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff?s Station said Wednesday. ?We?re still waiting for the [Vons?] loss-prevention people to hand in the videotape.? When they get the video, Harley said, they hope to get a screen capture of the suspects to post in the newspaper and around the area.

Formula stretches drug products [Re: “Baby formula thefts leave him sad,” Our Readers Write, Sept. 10] I appreciate Dr. Barnes’ concern for babies, and for the parents responsible for their care. He may be justified in citing Victor Hugo for all we know about the shoplifter, but it is highly unlikely. A quick Internet search would have informed him that the thief more likely had cash flow in mind than a hungry mouth to feed. Some months ago I wondered why baby formula was suddenly keeping company with the cigarettes, booze and cold remedies behind locked doors at a local grocery store.

The ongoing pet food recall by the Food and Drug Administration has now expanded to pork and poultry. According to an FDA report, five states including California have quarantined hog farms and one poultry farm in Missouri due to concerns that feed was contaminated with melamine, the ingredient linked to kidney failure in dogs and cats. Salvage pet food from manufacturers that are part of the pet recall have been traced to these farms. Test results have shown traces of the contaminant in the hogs' urine.

Waltonia Drive in Montrose, Karen Wright, 37, from La Cañada was arrested for conspiracy to commit burglary and giving false information to an officer. A woman reported that she witnessed the suspect and a male companion walking out of her backyard through a side gate. Wright asked the woman for money; she told her she would not give her any cash and the suspect and man walked away. Deputies were called and while they were interviewing the woman received a call from a nearby home.

Formula stretches drug products [Re: “Baby formula thefts leave him sad,” Our Readers Write, Sept. 10] I appreciate Dr. Barnes’ concern for babies, and for the parents responsible for their care. He may be justified in citing Victor Hugo for all we know about the shoplifter, but it is highly unlikely. A quick Internet search would have informed him that the thief more likely had cash flow in mind than a hungry mouth to feed. Some months ago I wondered why baby formula was suddenly keeping company with the cigarettes, booze and cold remedies behind locked doors at a local grocery store.

A suspect was arrested Monday in the recent string of baby formula thefts from the Vons in the 600 block of Foothill Boulevard, according to a report on file at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff?s Station. Jorge Ernesto Ramos, 28, of Los Angeles, was arrested for commercial burglary and booked at the CV Sheriff?s Station. At 9:40 a.m. Monday an employee of Vons called the sheriff?s station to report she saw the same suspect who had allegedly stolen baby formula from the Vons on Aug. 3 and 14. She told deputies the suspect?

Another string of baby formula thefts hit the area as two suspects allegedly stole seven cans of baby formula from Vons in the 600 block of Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada on Monday morning. ?Ah, the baby formula bandits,? Sgt. Ray Harley of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff?s Station said Wednesday. ?We?re still waiting for the [Vons?] loss-prevention people to hand in the videotape.? When they get the video, Harley said, they hope to get a screen capture of the suspects to post in the newspaper and around the area.