CALABASAS, Calif.\u2014Detectives searched Justin Bieber\u2019s home looking for surveillance footage that might serve as evidence the pop star was involved in an egg-tossing vandalism case that caused thousands of dollars in damage to a neighbour\u2019s home, an official said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Roughly a dozen investigators searched Bieber\u2019s home and arrested one member of the singer\u2019s entourage on suspicion of drug possession, Lt. David Thompson said.<\/p>\n
The man was later identified as Lil Za, a rapper whose real name is Xavier Smith. Jail records show Smith, 20, was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail. Thompson said the drugs linked to Smith were in plain sight when detectives searched Bieber\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
The drug was initially described as cocaine, but authorities later said they were testing it to verify its contents.<\/p>\n
Bieber, 19, was at the home and co-operated with authorities but was not interviewed by detectives. Thompson said he expected the singer to speak with detectives when his attorney could be present.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has not been arrested, nor has he been exonerated,\u201d Thompson said of Bieber.<\/p>\n
Thompson declined to describe what evidence detectives took from Bieber\u2019s home, but said the emphasis wasn\u2019t on what was in the pop star\u2019s refrigerator.<\/p>\n
He said the house Bieber allegedly egged had custom wood and other expensive features and that several thousands of dollars in damage occurred. Thompson added that a judge authorized the search warrant.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get that the eggs don\u2019t seem that significant, but it does rise to the level of a felony,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cThere is a victim in this case who has extensive damage done to their home. And that\u2019s a serious incident.\u201d<\/p>\n
The singer lives in a gated community in Calabasas, a celebrity enclave about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Four helicopters hovered over the neighbourhood hours after the warrant was served.<\/p>\n
An email message sent to Bieber\u2019s publicist, Melissa Victor, was not immediately returned.<\/p>\n
Previous investigations into Bieber\u2019s conduct by the sheriff\u2019s department have not resulted in charges.<\/p>\n
In October, prosecutors declined to charge Bieber after a neighbour complained he drove recklessly through the area. Prosecutors in November 2012 also declined to charge the singer after a paparazzo accused him of punching and hitting him after leaving a Calabasas movie theatre.<\/p>\n
Neighbours have complained about Bieber and his friends\u2019 behaviour, but Thompson said the warrant wasn\u2019t served to send a message to the singer, but that might be one result of the search.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t do this search warrant to send a message, that\u2019s not what we do,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cBut we hope maybe understanding the gravity of this will change some of the behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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