Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: July 25-July 31

The  reported an increase from eighteen to twenty-seven Part I felony crimes during this period. Robberies, commercial burglaries and vehicle thefts were up, vehicle burglaries remained the same, and residential burglaries declined. Patrol personnel handled 287 calls for service, down from 298 the previous week. The current 2011 weekly average in calls for service is 273.

ROBBERIES

There was one robbery reported during this week. On Thursday, July 28 at approximately 9:45 p.m. a male juvenile was riding a bike on 176th Street near Cortner Avenue when another male juvenile ran up behind him, pushed him down, and fled with the bicycle..

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries dropped to three after four the past two weeks. A rear window and a sliding glass door were pried, and front window was left open. Laptop computers, TVs, computer towers, and business suits were taken in the break-ins. The 2011 weekly average in residential burglaries remains at 3.6. 

Sheriff's safety tip: We cannot stress the need to ensure your residence is COMPLETELY secured prior to departing. An unfortunate part of summer is the amount of windows and sliding glass doors left open to ventilate a residence. This gives the thief easy access to your home. 

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Five commercial burglaries and two “other structure” burglaries were investigated during this period. A storage unit and a fitness center locker were targeted where baseball bags and keys were stolen. The thieves made entry into the five closed businesses by shattering windows and prying doors open. Computer towers, laptop computers, and copper wire were stolen in those cases. The 2011 weekly average in commercial /“other structure” burglaries is 3.3. 

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries remained the same at ten this week. All ten were occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots, and seven SUVs were targeted. GPS units were removed in two crimes and a high-end stereo in one. Keys, sunglasses, purses, laptop computers, ID, a hardhat and an MP3 player were stolen. The 2011 weekly average in vehicle burglaries remained at 5.2.

Sheriff's safety tip: Vehicle burglars continue to take GPS units during break-ins. These items are usually held by suction to windshields, which offer an easy target. Thieves can drive by and select the cars they want without having to go on foot and look inside to see what is on the seat or floorboard. So why make it easy for them? Make sure you secure your GPS unit along with any other property you don’t mind losing before leaving the vehicle. 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts rose from one to four this week. All four cases took place in high-volume commercial parking lots. Two were Hondas, one an SUV, and the fourth a Nissan. The 2011 weekly average in this crime is now 2.9. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Even though we see more Hondas, Toyotas and high-end SUVs stolen compared to others, car thieves are not always as selective as you think and are most often just looking for transportation. Consider a steering wheel locking device that serves as a good visual deterrent.