Here's heartwarming holiday news: Two men were arrested last weekend after authorities say an officer caught them trying to steal ornaments off the Capitol Christmas tree in Sacramento.
A California Highway Patrol officer was passing by the 48-foot tree near the Capitol's west steps about 2 a.m. Saturday when he noticed the branches moving, said Officer Sean Kennedy, a CHP spokesman.
The officer then saw two men apparently trying to take ornaments – some of them made by special education students – until the suspects saw the officer and "dropped them and tried to act like they weren't theirs," Kennedy said.
The officer arrested 30-year-old Marquies Alexis and 32-year-old Bruce Anderson IV on suspicion of petty theft and vandalism, because some of the ornaments broke, Kennedy said.
Anderson also faces a charge of resisting arrest because he ignored the officer's commands, Kennedy said.
Two other people who were with Alexis and Anderson weren't arrested because they were not taking part in the crime, Kennedy said.
Apparently the four were walking through Capitol Park to their cars, he said, when the suspects "had a bad idea en route."
>BY THE NUMBERS
Texas added 529,000 residents between April 1, 2010, and July 1 of this year, making it the nation's fastest-growing state, according to the Census Bureau's first post-2010 census estimate. California was second in numerical gain at 438,000 and is still the most populous state by far, with an estimated population of 37.7 million. No. 2 Texas has 25.7 million.
>WORTH REPEATING
"Dear Sacramento – because you couldn't handle the criminal justice system – I guess counties will have to figure it out. Thanks."
MATT REXROAD, Yolo County supervisor and Republican political consultant, commenting via Twitter on the shift in some state responsibilities
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