Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Feb. 6 to 12

Editor's Note: The information below comes from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Cerritos Station's weekly crime summary.

There were 30 Part I felony investigations conducted by Cerritos Sheriff’s Station personnel last week, up from 19. Residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, and vehicle burglaries increased while robberies and vehicle thefts declined. Patrol deputies handled 243 calls for service, an increase of two two calls from the previous week. The new 2012 weekly average in calls for service is now 252.   

ROBBERIES

There were two robberies reported during this period.

• On Wednesday, Feb. 8, a man was standing in the 13400 block of Village drive when he was confronted by a passenger in a vehicle. The passenger produced a handgun, and robbed the victim of his cash at 4:24 a.m.  
• On Thursday, Feb. 9 at 11:55 p.m. a lone suspect gunman entered a store in the 13300 block of South Street and forced employees to relinquish the cash from various registers. 

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries rose from two to nine last week. Open/unlocked doors or windows were the means in entry in four cases. Three doors were kicked in, one window was shattered, and another one was pried open. Jewelry, laptop computers, cash, a TV, and an iPad were stolen. The 2012 weekly average in residential burglaries is now 5.0.

Sheriff's safety tip: The Cerritos Sheriff’s Station/Community Safety Center receives frequent inquiries from new and established residents as to the best methods to protect a home from burglary. Our number one recommendation is to have an alarm system installed. These systems are a proven deterrent and we cannot recall the last time a completed burglary has occurred involving a residence with a functioning system in place.

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Two commercial burglaries were reported last week. Both break-ins occurred at closed businesses where a front door window was shattered, and a door was pried on the second. A cash drawer was the only reported loss. The 2012 weekly average in commercial/“other structure” burglaries is now 1.2.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Nine vehicle burglaries were investigated last week. There were no reported vehicle burglaries the week before. Five of the crimes last week occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots. Six involved SUVs, and two stereos were taken. Other items reported stolen included briefcases, a drum kit, clothes, laptop computers, sunglasses, and amplifier, cash, a modem, and a garage door opener. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 5.3. 

Sheriff's safety tip: All of the items stolen were in passenger compartments, visible, and made easily available to the thieves. Vehicle burglars do not honor a quarter inch of glass left to protect these stolen items, as five windows were smashed last week. Do not leave anything in the passenger compartment of your vehicles. It takes less than five seconds for someone to smash the window, reach in and grab your property, and to be on their way. 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts dropped from seven to five. High-volume commercial parking lots were the crime scenes in all five cases. Two SUVs, a Honda, and two commercial trailers were stolen. The new 2012 weekly average in vehicle thefts is 5.7.

Sheriff's safety tip: Using a steering wheel locking device will offer a good visible deterrent to the would-be thief. While there have been cases reported where the steering wheel is cut to allow the theft, these are very few in numbers. These devices are inexpensive and let the car thief know that more work will be required to take your vehicle. There are many more in a parking lot for the criminal to target that are not equipped with a locking device. 

* Visit www.safercerritos.com for an extensive library of crime prevention tips, disaster preparedness information, and a variety of links to other pertinent sites.

OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers on Patrol Wanted 

The Cerritos Sheriff’s Station is seeking Volunteers on Patrol (VOPs). Patrolling the city in distinctly marked vehicles, VOPs assist with crime suppression, traffic control, vacation checks, special events and park security checks. They serve as additional “eyes and ears” for the Sheriff’s Department and train as first responders in the event of a major emergency or disaster. If you are interested in helping Cerritos maintain its reputation as a safe place to live and work, the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station encourages you to apply to be a VOP.  

For more information, contact the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station at (562) 860-0044, or visit the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station to obtain an application.  

Block Captains Wanted 

Block Captains act as contacts for the Sheriff’s Department and the Community Safety Division on behalf of their neighbors.  They are also responsible for distributing information and do a great deal to promote public safety in Cerritos. Remember, informed citizens who use safe living strategies are safer citizens!  We encourage residents, business owners, and their employees to consider joining the Virtual Block Club (VBC). If you are interested in helping our Sheriff’s Department prevent and reduce crime, and enhancing your own personal and neighborhood safety, join the VBC on-line at our website devoted to public safety in the City of Cerritos. We encourage you to share the information with your family, friends, and co-workers. Go to www.safercerritos.com to sign up. 

If you are interested in becoming a Block Captain in the Cerritos Neighborhood Watch, contact the Community Safety office at (562) 916-1266.