By Mary O’KEEFE

While walking her dog, a resident in the 3200 block of Mills Avenue noticed an unfamiliar gray van driving slowly through her neighborhood. She allegedly witnessed the vehicle pull up near a neighbor’s home, heard the van’s passenger door open and shut. She did not see who got out of the car but the van turned and passed her as it drove away.

The driver, described only as white, waved as he passed her. She then heard the sound of breaking glass. The resident yelled at the driver of the van that she was going to call the police. The driver sped up and came to a stop a few houses away. A person ran to the van, got into the passenger seat and the van fled the area.

The resident contacted Glendale police who located a van matching the suspect’s vehicle description driving southbound on the Glendale (2) Freeway, north of the San Fernando off-ramp. Driver Ryan Valles, 30, of Pico Rivera was detained while officers conducted a search of his vehicle.

Police found a woman’s purse, pink tote bag and a gray backpack in the van. Credit cards and other identification were also found in the vehicle.

It was found that two vehicles on Mills Avenue had been broken into. The items found in the van were allegedly identified as belonging to those vehicle burglary victims.

It was discovered Valles was on probation for vehicle theft and grand theft.

  Mary Okeefe