La Jolla Crime and public safety news for July 16

Robbers rip necklace off woman during 
La Jolla home robbery

An 82-year-old woman confronted two to three males shortly after they broke her La Jolla residence late Monday night, July 13. The suspects entered the victim’s home in the 1400 block of Rodeo Drive, near La Jolla Mesa Drive, through a window at about 11:40 p.m., San Diego police Officer Dino Delimitros said.

The woman heard noises inside her home and encountered the suspects shortly after, he said.

One of the suspects tore a necklace off her neck and held her back while the other suspects rifled through her belongings. They left with televisions and other items.

The woman called 911 and officers combed the area with a K-9, but could not the suspects, who were only described as male.

Swimmer drowns 
at La Jolla Cove

A 22-year-old man died Saturday, July 11 after a swimming excursion at La Jolla Cove. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the cause of death as complications of resuscitated drowning.

San Diego lifeguards rescued the 22-year-old man, later identified as Azfar Alam of Downey, and a teenage girl by a cave at La Jolla Cove Friday night. Lifeguards pulled them from the water about 7:50 p.m. Alam was found unresponsive, and was resuscitated. Complications set in, however, and he died Saturday afternoon.

Lifeguards rescued Alam and the unidentified girl from the area known as Sunny Jim’s Cave, near Cave Street at Coast Boulevard, after bystanders heard screams and saw two people in the water. Both were taken to the hospital. A Good Samaritan brought up the girl to some rocks, said San Diego fire-rescue Capt. Joe Amador.

The girl was hoisted by a fire-rescue helicopter crew and transported to the Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Her condition was described as moderate, Amador said.