4 men arrested in South Bay burglary string

By Ashraf Khalil and Jack Leonard

Nov. 23, 2007 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writers

Torrance police have arrested four young men believed to be responsible for as many as 30 burglaries during a months-long spate of crimes in the South Bay, authorities said Thursday.

Several South Bay police departments are coordinating to determine the extent of the alleged crimes, which authorities said included several thefts of musical instruments from churches in Manhattan Beach.

The number of burglaries the group is suspected of committing is “in the mid-20s right now, heading toward 30,” said Torrance Police Officer Dave Crespin. “They were roaming the South Bay.”

Donald Sadler, 18, of Manhattan Beach; Keith Tate, 19, of Manhattan Beach; Scott Talmadge, 19, of Redondo Beach; and Andrew Sharp, 18, of Manhattan Beach, were booked on suspicion of burglary and possession of burglary tools, Crespin said. The young men were arrested early Wednesday morning by a police unit that was formed after a string of unsolved burglaries at local businesses, Crespin said.

The break-ins happened after midnight, and in each case the intruders entered through rooftop doors or windows, he said. Manhattan Beach police believe the group is responsible for a string of church burglaries during the last two months.

“Several different types of musical instruments and whatever cash was laying around” were stolen from at least four churches, including Trinity Lutheran Church, said Manhattan Beach Police Lt. John Dye.

“Music plays a huge role in our church,” said Karla Devine, director of music at Trinity Lutheran. “It was pretty shocking. It’s such a safe neighborhood. We’ve never had a problem with that before.”

Among the items taken were two guitars, three ukuleles, a snare drum, some small percussion instruments and a glockenspiel, Devine said.

“The question is: Just how big a market is there for a glockenspiel?” Dye said.

A search of the suspects’ homes found what was believed to be stolen merchandise, including several musical instruments, Crespin said.

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