Bad acid, 10/22/09 An elderly Miner Road homeowner called the County Hazardous Waste facility to see if she could dispose of some old picric acid that had been stored at the house for approximately thirty years. Turns out the homeowner and her now deceased husband used to be professors at UC Berkeley and used the acid to preserve small animals for research. Hazardous Waste folks replied that the stuff was too unstable and could be explosive in crystallized form, so she called Orinda police for disposal advice. It was determined that the hundred or so vials of the picric acid were extremely dangerous and needed to disposed of by the bomb squad. Getting rid of aging picric is no picnic.
Commercial burglary, 10/14/09 A Northwood Drive business was broken into sometime during the night of 10/13 - 10/14. An unknown suspect entered and took network server software from a rear closet. Keep on the lookout for network server software for sale on E-bay.
Cat fight, 10/12/09 Two sisters, who are old enough to know better, became embroiled in an argument using both fists and cell phones as weapons. Although one of the gals with an Orinda address had visible injuries, she declined medical treatment. Neither party wanted to prosecute. That might make for an awkward Thanksgiving.
Sirius stolen 10/08/09 A Bates boulevard resident parked and locked in front of her residence. The next morning when she went out to her Toyota Camry the drivers side door was unlocked and the Sirius satellite radio inside had been stolen. Estimated loss, $1,000. A serious price tag for that Sirius radio.
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA