Crime Watch: Shopping Centers Hit with Car Burglaries, More

Shopping Centers Hit with Car Burglaries

Between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, we had a series of vehicle burglaries in retail parking lots along our Taylor Road, Fairway Drive, and the Creekview shopping area.  The burglars smashed vehicle windows and took whatever items of value they could find in the cars:  iPods, music CDs, wallets, purses and stereo equipment.  Someone witnessed one of the vehicle burglaries and provided us with a description of the suspects: Two black males in their 20s.  One had a shaved head and the other had shoulder-length dreadlocks with blond tips.  They were driving a silver Buick LeSabre.

Roseville Police warn residents of burglaries during the holiday shopping season: Stow your shopping bags and other valuables well out of sight before you get to your next destination.  Never leave your purse, wallet, credit cards or other ID cards in your vehicle. You can replace stolen items, but it takes a lot more time and trouble to clean up your bank accounts and your credit after your ID and credit have been stolen.

Attempted Robbery in Historic Old Town

At about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, a woman was standing outside her vehicle, waiting to pick up a friend in a parking lot in the 100 block of Church Street, when an unknown male came up behind her and demanded her money. Other bystanders were walking toward the woman, so the assailant struck her in the head and fled without taking her money, according to Roseville Police. He was described as a white male in his 20s, 5'11" with a medium build, wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt.

Catalytic Converter Thefts

Between Nov. 16 and 18, catalytic converters were stolen from vehicles on San Jose Way, Santa Ines Street, Wedmore Court, Malverne Court and Lockhart Way.

Roseville Police have seen an increase in thefts of catalytic converters over the past couple of months. They're expensive emission control devices mounted on the under-carriage of cars. Thieves crawl under vehicles, unbolt or saw them off, then sell them to metal recyclers, who mine them for small amounts of precious metals. Thieves especially target Toyota trucks and SUVs.  The safest place to park your vehicle at night is your locked garage.

Copper Theft at Home Construction Site

Sometime before Nov. 18, copper wire was stripped from the attic of a home under construction on Big Tree Way.

Residential Burglary Roundup:

Wednesday, Nov. 16

Between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Nov. 16, a home in the 900 block of Trehowell Drive was burglarized. The point of entry is unknown.  Laptop computers were taken.

At about 11 a.m. Nov. 16, a male was seen burglarizing a house in the 200 block of Grape Street.  He kicked in the back door and took a Wii game console, video games and cash.  He was described as a white male in his 20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium build, and was wearing a royal blue sweatshirt, blue jeans, and bright white athletic shoes.  He may have been wearing glasses, and fled carrying the stolen items in a white trash bag.  No vehicle associated with him was seen.   Officers searched the area but weren't able to find him.

Thursday, Nov. 17

At 4:10 p.m. Nov. 17, two men were seen coming out of a house they had just burglarized in the 2300 block of Sebastian Way. Numerous officers responded but unfortunately weren't able to locate the suspects.  They were two white male adults in their mid-20s, with blond hair driving a white Honda Civic two-door with damage on the driver's side.

Sometime during the day on Nov. 17, someone entered a home in the 1200 block of Palm Avenue through a kitchen window, and took items from the home.

Commercial Burglaries Roundup:

At about 11:30 p.m. Nov. 16, someone smashed the front door of a clothing store in the 1200 block of Galleria and took cash and a safe.

Overnight on Nov. 17/18, someone smashed the glass in the front doors of a clothing store and a thrift store, both in the 1000 block of Melody Lane, looking for cash from the cash registers.

Overnight on Nov. 17/18, someone smashed the glass in the front door of a medical business in the 9200 block of Fairway Drive, and took cash and computer equipment.

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