Local burglaries on the rise

ALARM—Lost Hills Dep. John Peck advises concerned residents. There’s been a recent spike in area burglaries and residents are sounding the alarm. They are fed up and on edge, and the anxiety was palpable at a crime prevention meeting last week in Calabasas attended by more than 100 people, including crime victims, who filled the community room at the Church in the Canyon and demanded solutions.

“The frustration is citywide,” said Joanne Suwara, one of the leaders of the Calabasas Coalition community group that organized the Jan. 26 event.

“Even though the sheriff made a good presentation about forming Neighborhood Watch programs and people getting involved, there was also a sense that people wanted commitment from the sheriff’s department and the city to make the community a safer place,” Suwara said.

Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were on hand to talk about the latest crime trends and answer questions from the public. But they faced a tough crowd.

CONCERNED—Mayor Mary Sue Maurer calms jangled nerves. SYLVIE BELMOND/Acorn Newspapers“I don’t have the answers. All I know is we needed to work harder, and we are doing that,” said Dep. John Peck of the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.

Primarily, residents want more police patrols in their neighborhoods. They asked the city to keep recordings from its traffic-monitoring camera network to help authorities identify potential culprits.

Calabasas Mayor Mary Sue Maurer and City Councilmember Fred Gaines said the city is doing all it can to fight crime. Maurer said she has directed the sheriff’s department to be more visible in Calabasas neighborhoods.

The city spends more than $4 million annually—about a third of its general fund budget—on law enforcement.

In addition to detectives who investigate burglaries and other major crimes, the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station has a fingerprint and DNA technician who can quickly collect evidence when crimes occur. The resources have helped authorities to solve crimes and arrest burglars.

Peck said residents are fortunate to live in a community where public safety is a priority. He said crime rates are up throughout the region and much higher in the neighboring San Fernando Valley and where police resources are more limited.

Crime trends

Car and home burglaries occur in waves, and the trends vary.

“The criminals are getting more sophisticated. But it’s clear they do not want to have any contact with people,” Peck said.

If someone is home and they know it, the criminals usually leave without further incident, he said.

“Most crews have no intention to confront anybody. That has been the trend so far.”

Thieves often work in teams as they troll for jewelry, cash and guns. They come at all times of the day and night and are in and out quickly.

Some thieves pose as door-to-door salespeople. They’ll knock on a front door, and if no one answers they’ll go to the backyard and enter the home through an unlocked door or window. Even gated communities are vulnerable because thieves are able to circumvent the security.

Crime would drop considerably if residents would be more diligent about locking their doors and hiding their valuables to prevent opportunistic thefts, the sheriff’s department says.

“Don’t leave your garage door remote opener or second set of keys in your car. Crews drive through neighborhoods and all they do is check for unlocked cars. It’s a lot of basic stuff, but it seems to be stuff that we need to keep repeating,” Peck said.

Residents should lock all their doors and windows, including those in the upper level. Doggy doors should also be secured because they can be a gateway for thieves who crawl through or reach up to unlock a door.

Dogs, surveillance cameras, motion sensors and alarms can help deter criminals, but they’re not foolproof.

In addition to forming Neighborhood Watch programs, residents should use social media sites such as Nextdoor and Facebook to stay informed about what’s happening in their community.

When residents know their neighbors and their comings and goings, they recognize unusual activities and can alert police if someone is acting suspiciously, officials said. No matter how trivial an incident may seem, anything suspicious should be reported to authorities because the information could solve bigger crimes.

Too cautious?

Heavy vigilance can carry unintended consequences.

The Acorn learned recently that a person called police to report a young man was walking in the Liberty Canyon area of Agoura Hills and had a gun in his pocket.

The 22-year-old college student was visiting his parents for the holidays. He was walking to a coffee shop when two deputies arrived and told him to lie face down on the street. One of the deputies reportedly had a gun pointed at the young man.

The tone of the encounter changed quickly when the deputies realized the pedestrian was carrying a book, not a handgun. They offered him a ride home.

“Our action is based on whatever information is given us. This kid followed the instructions, which we appreciate, and it worked out great,” Lt. Joshua Thai of the Lost Hills station said.

Burglars can’t always be stereotyped.

Just because someone looks shady doesn’t mean they’re a bad guy, the lieutenant said.

“We want residents to pay close attention. When calling the department, just make sure the information is factual and don’t assume things, because the information you’re giving to authorities, that’s the information they will have to work with,” Thai said.

He reminded pedestrians and drivers to be cooperative if they are stopped by police.

“As taxpayers, you want the police to do their job and seek out people who are targeting neighborhoods. But at the same time, the best thing to do if you’re the person being stopped, be honest and cooperative, and this way things will go a lot smoother,” Thai said.

For crime prevention tips, go to www.thecalabasascoalition.org.