The Antelope Valley Times

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Public’s help sought in Christmas burglary [updated]

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PALMDALE – Detectives are seeking the public’s help in catching a Grinch of a burglar who stole gifts from beneath a Christmas tree in Palmdale.

The burglary occurred around 5:18 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at a home in the 1200 block of East Avenue S, according to Deputy Jodi Wolfe of the Sheriff’s Palmdale Station.

The thief, a man between 20-30 years old, entered the home and pulled a backpack from under his shirt and began taking gifts that were under a Christmas tree and other items, Wolfe said.

The burglar was described as black, around 6 feet 5 inches tall, about 250 pounds with long sideburns.

He was wearing a black-and-white striped shirt, a red-and-black flannel jacket, light-colored sweatpants, and a red-and-black hat with a set of black Beats headphones around his neck.

Anyone who could help identify this suspect is encouraged to call Detective Hall at 661-272-2456. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS or at http://lacrimestoppers.org.

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UPDATED 12.29.16: The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Derrick Hairston of Palmdale, according to ABC7, which reported that authorities were checking to see if Hairston was possibly involved in other burglaries in the area. The watch commander at the Palmdale Station could not immediately confirm the station’s report and the detective handling the case did not immediately return phone messages left for him.

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

29 comments for "Public’s help sought in Christmas burglary [updated]"

  3. Walk in the wrong house and get full of bullets. It’s not worth risking your life to steal .knock twice on our door and we still don’t answer, this whole situation sucks. The house owners were violated and don’t feel safe, and this guy did something so stupid and now ruined his chances at a job.

  4. He has been going through a lot since his mom pasted. Yes taking there things is wrong but he the bro he cant do know wrong [removed] Palmdale. . Antelope valley steal peoples lives all the time dont see [removed] beening done

    • having an education can go a long way, and you should consider continuing where you left off! My dad passed away, and I had a hard time too. As do a lot of other people… that’s no excuse to steal. The Antelope Valley doesn’t steal peoples lives all the time. PLEASE STOP DEFENDING THUGS LIKE THIS GUY AND GET AN EDUCATION AND A REAL LIFE SUPPORTING YOURSELF

    • That is no excuse at all. I lost both my parents within 6 weeks of one another and I didn’t break into peoples’ houses. I have lived here for 20 years and in no way has that effected my judgement. it is a choice that someone makes to either do good or bad.

    • My Mom and Dad both “pasted” and I’m a Vietnam Vet who suffered a loss of 13 men out of a squadron of 16. And I was only 21 years old at the time. So much trauma in my life, yet you won’t find me doing what Derrick was doing. He’s bad, not troubled. It was his choice. No one compelled him to B & E and steal from innocent victims. Not one event (the loss of a loved one) can compel someone to break into someone else’s private residence and change their lives, especially at Christmas time.
      Diamond, continue making excuses for him and ilk like him. You are probably prone to do the same thing Derrick does; steal from innocents and blame others for your actions.
      Find him and prosecute him. And while you’re at it, find Diamond and prosecute him/her because he/she no doubt has committed a crime against society.

    • No excuse, his mom passing should be more of a reason to do better in life, not worse….Go to school, (grants are available), get a job, earn money, pay for stuff, be responsible, not stupid…But I guess that’s a little too much work itself, right? Don’t ruin another’s Christmas because you can’t deal with your own problem s, because now you just created a new one, and can’t get it reversed….How sad and pathetic to steal from a family who deserves everything under that tree and apartment, they actually earned it!!!!

    • That’s a horrible excuse and you are one hot mess of a person! Please leave this town and take 10 other people who think like you, with you!!!

      Don’t let the door hit you!

    • You are something else “Diamond” ! My mom died too and I didn’t go out and start robbing people. For one thing, I wouldn’t want to disgrace my mother by being a criminal, and secondly, she raised me with a sense of earning what I want in life – not taking it from other people by means of robbery!

      Your way of thinking is truly disgusting and is a major reason why Trump got elected. People with your mindset are causing other people to live in fear and panic.

  5. Don’t you just hate it Derrick Hairston when your up in someone’s house stealing all those goodies thinking everything’s just fine and then seeing your picture on the news like this? Ha ha ha ha.

  7. He has been identified as Derrick Harriston of Palmdale. He works or worked at the 5 Guys on 10th W. He picked up his check today… doubt he will be showing up for work anymore.

  9. Prop 47 anyone? Under $900 dollars= misdemeanor + no real jail time. Maybe summary probation if we are lucky.
    It is only the beginning of more great time for thieves
    Happy New Year Taxpayers
    To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.
    Theodore Roosevelt

    • The good news is that residential burglary is still a felony and a strike.

      Color me shocked that some cockroach on parole…with a job…is still just a thieving cockroach. Some things you just can’t change.

      • Shane, that’s a felony if the residence is OCCUPIED…exactly why this turd knocked twice before breaking in…he want to make sure no one was home. Doesn’t matter much since he is on probation.

        • You’re misinformed. It’s still a felony if it’s residential, whether the owners are home or not. The change in prop 47 was for commercial burglaries, such as shoplifting. It falls under 459.5 PC and is now a misdemeanor unless the value of property taken exceeds $950.

        • Jack OCCUPIED includes your house even when you aren’t home. The wording in the law is actually INHABITED, not OCCUPIED. Uninhabited means that no one lives there, not just that they aren’t at home.

          • As one would expect an arrogant prig like yourself to do. Unfortunately like many plea bargained cases the evidence for awesome is sorely lacking. I’d be willing to prosecute on blowhard though.

  10. This guy has already been identified (D). Unfortunately, he has not been arrested yet do to due process (aka politics). They should be getting him soon. They know where he lives. Where he works. His name. His FB page. Even his cell number. LOL. Your going down boy… you are going down! lol

    Call Detective Hall at the Palmdale Sheriff station if you have additional information, thou at this point it is not needed, LMAO

  11. You know those beats were stolen. They get away with this cause cops don’t get dispatched to your home when you call. Good luck getting your items back.

    • The items may not be retrieved… but this guy has already been identified LOL. Now it’s just a matter of a short time before he is behind bars. Watch.