Police Blotter: Teen With Flamethrower Attracts the Heat

Parents warn their kids about playing with matches, but apparently a couple of youngsters didn't think flame-throwers applied to the old safety adage.

A man was concerned about a teenager who was walking down Avenida de las Flores in Rancho Santa Margarita Saturday afternoon with a butane tank in one hand and a flame-thrower in the other.

According to the informant, the boy—who was wearing a large hooded sweatshirt—looked suspicious. The man spotted the youth about 10 minutes later standing on the corner of Blackberry and Avenida de las Flores.

Deputies detained two teens briefly before releasing them.

The call came in around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, from Blackberry and Avenida de las Flores.

While walking his dog, man exposes himself

A man exposed himself to a Rancho Santa Margarita woman early Sunday morning while she was walking her dog. According to the woman, the man, who was walking his brown pomeranian, pulled down his pants as he approached her, exposing his genitals.

Deputies were unable to locate the man, who was described as being in his 50s, with a mustache. He was last seen wearing jeans and a cream-colored long-sleeved shirt.

The call came in around 7 a.m. on Sunday, from Via Honesto and Antonio Parkway.

The following is a summary report of calls from Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, Trabuco Canyon and Las Flores to the Orange County Sheriff's Department from May 18 to May 21.

Suspicious Person in Vehicle 5:55 p.m. Monday, on Tierra Seguro. An informant said four men were smoking cannabis in a blue station wagon.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 1:23 p.m. Monday, on Via Sagrado and Via Solaz. A man found a bag of syringes in his neighborhood.

Disturbance 11:16 a.m. Monday, 31500 block of Santa Margarita Parkway. An employee from Bank of America said a customer was talking loudly while using foul language. The man, clad in a Hawaiian shirt, refused to leave the premises when asked.

Disturbance 10:17 p.m. Sunday, on Via Andorra. A caller was annoyed by a youth who was yelling in his neighborhood. Upon further investigation, it appeared that a father and son were fighting in the street. Deputies detained one of them before departing.

Disturbance 6:51 p.m. Sunday, on Via Pajaro and Vista del Verde. A drunken man was allegedly harassing an informant's ex-girlfriend.

Suspicious Person in Vehicle 3:58 p.m. Sunday, on Santa Margarita Parkway and El Paseo. Two youths were sitting in a Ford Windstar, smoking marijuana and cursing at people walking in the Trader Joe’s parking lot.

Family Dispute 2:29 p.m. Sunday, 29700 block of Melinda Road. A caller from the Cortesia Apartments could hear a man pounding on his walls, slamming his doors and screaming in a stairwell.

Vandalism Report 1:11 p.m. Sunday, on Midlothian. A man said someone had egged his vehicle.

Found Property 11:38 a.m. Sunday, on Wild Horse Loop. An informant found a diamond ring near Pavillions.

Disturbance 8:46 a.m. Sunday, on El Morro. An informant heard a man and woman yelling in their apartment.

Disturbance 3:08 a.m. Sunday, on Gaviota. A caller heard people yelling screaming and breaking bottles somewhere in his neighborhood.

Disturbance 7:01 p.m. Saturday, on Paseo Primero. An informant wanted deputies to look for a man who was stumbling while yelling at passing vehicles.

General Broadcast 1:09 p.m. Saturday, on Santa Margarita Parkway and Alicia Parkway. A general broadcast was sent out so deputies could look for a "Euro car clan" that was racing BMWs and Porsches down Santa Margarita Parkway.

Reckless Driving 1:04 a.m. Saturday, on Plano Trabuco Road and Santa Margarita Parkway. A caller said a driver was swerving his tan Chevrolet SUV into oncoming traffic, nearly striking her vehicle. The driver then turned into the Villa La Paz apartment complex.

You can read about more incidents on the Orange County Sheriff's Department blotter.