Sacto 9-1-1: Garage burglary activity reported in North Natomas

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Sacto 9-1-1

The Sacramento Bee's Crime blog is a comprehensive report of crime news, trends and information for your community and beyond.

October 7, 2008

Garage burglary activity reported in North Natomas

Here is a report about a reported series garage burglaries in North Natomas -- and some crime prevention tips -- from Sacramento Police Capt. Daniel Hahn to Robslist, a listserv about crime in Natomas:

Possible Garage Burglary Activity in N. Natomas

There have been a lot of developments in regard to possible garage burglaries and there have also been several comments on Robs List about the same issue. I put on the daily last week about a burglary where someone used a garage door opener or some other device to open the garage door on Natomas Blvd.

There has been at least 4 such burglaries or suspicious circumstances between 9/26/08 and 10/06/08 on the following streets: Innovator, Natomas Blvd. (mentioned in previous email daily), Edgemar Ct., and Lyman Cr. Two of these occurred around 1:00 am, 1 around noon, and one between 9pm and 6 am. Officers Tavelli and Bell were working this issue the other night and ran into a Paladin Security Officer who also advised about suspicious circumstances on Sea Glen Wy, Adamstowne Wy, Minden Wy, and Alterra Wy. These were all garage activation alarms that Paladin was called to and were checked and found to be o.k...

With this in mind - please continue to utilize Paladin if you live in their area, but also call the police - especially in light of this growing issue. We didn't know about any of these additional locations and it will help us to find out who is doing this....Also, be sure to close your garage door when leaving and if you will be gone for a day or more (ie vacation) make sure you lock your garage so even a garage door opener can't open it.

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Q: What happened to the killer of Martin Fischalek?

A: Robert Doyle Bratton was sentenced on Jan. 3, 1990, to 25 years to life in prison for the slaying of Martin Fischalek, according to Sacramento Superior Court records.

A Sacramento Superior Court on jury on Aug. 18, 1989, convicted Bratton on four murder and robbery charges in the slaying of Fischalek, his 59-year-old neighbor.

Fischalek was beaten and stabbed to death during a robbery in his Vista Avenue home in south Sacramento County.

Bratton was 17 when the crimes occurred Aug. 2, 1988, but was ordered to be tried as an adult because of the nature of the crimes. Although the charges[ included the special circumstances required for a capital-punishment case, Bratton was protected by law from the capital charges faced by an adult.

During the two-week trial, the prosecution painted a picture of a ruthless killer who needed drug money and ended up beating Fischalek with the leg of a wooden chair and slashing his throat with a kitchen knife. The dead man's stereo, wallet and car were taken.

Fischalek's body was found Aug. 4, 1988, by two of his fellow mechanics who went to check on him when he failed to show up for work at the Niello auto dealerships on Arden Way.

Perhaps the most crucial evidence against Bratton was a tape recording of a conversation he had with a man who struck a deal with investigators to tape his meeting with the suspect.

The jury listened to the recorded discussion of details Williamson described as things that could be known only by the killer.

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