A one-antlered deer died despite efforts to resuscitate it after running through downtown Laguna Beach and swimming away into the ocean today.

The apparently crazed deer wandered into two Forest Avenue shops, crashed into a mirror, and then hit a car before heading to Main Beach shortly before 4 p.m. today, police Sgt. Louise Callus said.

The deer swam into the ocean, where it was followed by lifeguards who paddled out to it, before coming ashore at Rockpile Beach where it entered a cave. Animal Control Officer Joy Falk followed the animal into the cave and started giving it CPR as large waves crashed in, Callus said. Falk and the deer were both rescued by police officers who pulled them onto the sand. The deer died shortly thereafter.

The deer is believed to be the same one that was reported acting bizarrely Sunday. That deer, which was running around downtown Laguna Beach, also had one antler, Callus said.

Laguna Beach police are alerting gasoline customers that three credit card skimming machines have been found at the Shell Station at 1342 N. Coast Hwy. since July 1, police Sgt. Louise Callus said.

The first card scanner was found July 23 and two more have been discovered at the location since that time, she said.

“At this point, we have only had 11 people tell Shell that they had used that particular pump but we only have one victim that has had the credit card compromised,” Callus said.

“We know that this is not isolated to Laguna and that Irvine has had several [incidents] and there have been several other locations throughout the county,” she added.

“Anyone who has used that gasoline station since July 1 should be checking their account for fraudulent charges and also contacting the credit card company to close the account.”

Station Manager Frank Patterson said the skimmers have been showing up over the past three weeks and that this kind of activity has not occurred at the station before.

“We check the pumps three times a day” for card skimmers, he said. “We check them in the morning when we open, and at noon and at night.”

Patterson said he believes the skimmers are placed on the pumps when the station is closed.

Laguna Beach police have released new surveillance photos they believe show the suspect of 12 bank robberies in Orange, San Diego and Riverside Counties, including robberies on June 23 and July 24 at the US Bank in Laguna Beach.

The photos are from a bank robbery in Cathedral City and are a better depiction of the suspect than photos previously released, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Louise Callus said.

“The suspect has not shown a weapon in any of the robberies but has implied that he has a gun,” she said in a news statement.

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Two California Coastal commissioners and a Laguna Beach gay activist have filed an appeal of the redevelopment of the Coast Inn.

Commission staff is supporting the request by Laguna Beach resident Audrey Prosser and Commissioners Sara Wan and Mary Shallenberger that the commission consider an appeal of the city-issued coastal permit allowing the redevelopment of the historic Laguna Beach hotel at 1401 S. Coast Hwy. The property is owned by former AIG executive Steven Udvar-Hazy, who has been seeking to redevelop the site for several years.

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