Lamorinda's Chiefs Check In; Lafayette's Massage Parlors Checking Out?

On days like this I like to think we take a safe and sane approach to survival: stay indoors, stay hydrated, no undue exertion until the heat wave cracks and it's safe to venture outside again.

And then there's Chief Bob Priebe and the men and women of the Moraga police department. While most of us were safely indoors hugging our rotary fans Priebe and seven members of his Blue Crew (six sworn officers and two cadets) were outside running the Torch Run for Special Olympics in Pleasant Hill.

Uh-uh, guys, no way. Turns out the MPD faction ran with Pleasant Hill police and snaked their way from Kohl's to the Virginia Hills Shopping Center (all uphill) before passing the "torch" to runners from Martinez PD.

"It was hot and uphill, but we represented the little Town of Moraga very well for this wonderful cause," Priebe said.

He gave special props to Officer Mary Ann Grubb who "served as our coach and inspirational leader."

Nice job, but I ain't doing it.

Then, in a near-perfect Trifecta of Lamorinda Cop Contact Tuesday, I heard from Lafayette Police Chief Eric Christensen -- who has hit the ground running since his arrival here. The chief wanted to praise the efforts of the neighbors up on who got together to alert officers and chase off a carload of burglars Tuesday morning.

Christensen said the area near the freeway and BART station is favored by burglars for its easy escape routes with the thieves sometimes returning to pull off more jobs. This may have been the case yesterday when a car believed to have been used in prior break-ins was sighted, with one male driver sticking with the car while two colleagues broke into nearby homes to see what they could grab.

But the chief said at least two neighbors didn't appreciate the attention and quickly mobilized, securing information of value to police and confronting the thieves -- at a distance -- and letting them know they were being watched. They got the message and left in a hurry while police were given key evidence.

A big Patch "thumbs up" to the neighborhood on that one.

Also in Lafayette, it appears that at least two of the to come under recent scrutiny by neighbors and, ultimately, the police -- are pulling up tent stakes and trying to leave town. The chief said he was gratified by the apparent end result to a story that had residents and property owners in a real tizzy -- and again praised residents for their involvement.

"This could have ended a lot differently," he said. "These establishments can be magnets for individuals you definitely do not want in your neighborhood."

Nice to hear from everyone. Got a story or news tidbit? Drop me a line and remember to "Like" us on Facebook. We get a plastic trophy or something as we close in on the 1,000 "Like" mark. Stay cool.