A man apparently tried to covertly burglarize a Long Beach hardware store by spray painting the shop's security cameras - but first, he climbed a ladder and stared into the lens, giving police a perfect view of his mug.
Long Beach police have been searching for the suspected burglar for nearly a year and on Monday, detectives renewed a call for the public's help in the case.
The break-in occurred July 21, 2012 at the Ace Hardware store at 2720 E. Anaheim Street. The burglar cut a hole in the back wall and made off with thousands of dollars of tools and equipment before fleeing in a 1980s pickup truck, according to a Long Beach Police Department statement.
Anyone with information can contact Long Beach burglary Detective Jennifer Valenzuela at (562) 570-5592. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org