Crime & Safety

Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Dec. 24 to Dec. 30

The Cerritos Sheriff's Station encourages residents to make a New Year's resolution to obtain a monitored alarm system for your home, to help protect your residence from thieves.

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

Part I felony crime investigations dropped from 36 to 28 last week, according to the Cerritos Sheriff's Station. Robberies and commercial burglaries increased while residential burglaries, vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts were lower than the previous week. Calls for service handled by patrol personnel also dropped last week from 309 to 241. The 2012 weekly average in calls for service was 272 at the end of this period. 

ROBBERIES

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Robberies increased from one to three during this week.

On Monday, Dec. 24 at 7:10 p.m. a female victim was walking in a lot near Pioneer Boulevard and South Street when a male suspect grabbed her purse and fled with it.

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On Tuesday, Dec. 25 a male suspect entered a service station in the 13300 block of South Street, produced a handgun and robbed the clerk of cash.

Three shoplifting suspects struggled with loss prevention employees at a retail store in the 11500 block of South Street on Tuesday Dec. 27 at 4:06 p.m. The suspects were able to flee but the property was recovered. 

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries were down from eight to five last week. Open/unlocked doors or windows were the entry points in three cases and windows were shattered in the remaining two. Jewelry, cameras, laptop computers, a guitar, cash and an archery set were reported stolen. The 2012 weekly average in residential burglaries is now 5.6.

Sheriff's safety tip: Make a New Year's resolution to obtain a monitored alarm system that activates an audible warning and instantaneous signal to the alarm company upon a breach of your residence. Alarm company signs and window stickers also tell the would-be thief that your home is not a good target!

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Two commercial burglaries were investigated last week compared to one case the previous week. Two closed businesses were involved where a hole was cut in a roof and a side door was pried open. No loss could be determined in either of the crimes. The 2012 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.5.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries were down from 13 to 11 last week. Nine of the crime scenes were in high-volume commercial parking lots. Eight of the vehicles were SUVs. Stereo items were removed in four cases and GPS units in three. Other property reported stolen included purses, wallets, cell phones, suitcases, gifts, ID, a heater, a checkbook, sunglasses and clothing. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 6.9. 

Sheriff's safety tip: All of the items removed from the above vehicles last week were in the passenger compartment and easily accessible to the burglars that removed them. Protect your property. If you don’t have secure trunk space, take the items with you! 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts also dropped to four after five cases for the past three weeks. All four of the current cases took place in high-volume commercial parking lots. Two were SUVs and two were Hondas. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle thefts remained at 3.6.  

Sheriff's safety tip: Hondas, Toyotas and SUVs are the most commonly stolen vehicles in Cerritos. If you own one of these, add a layer of security such as a steering wheel 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.

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.


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