Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Dec. 31 to Jan. 6

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

There were 34 Part I felony crimes were reported to the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station last week, up from 28 the previous week. Residential burglaries and vehicle burglaries increased, commercial burglaries remained the same while robberies and vehicle thefts declined. Patrol deputies responded to 272 calls for service, which is up from 241 the week before. The 2013 weekly average in this category is 241 as the New Year begins. 

ROBBERIES

One robbery was reported during this period. In a Craigslist laptop transaction on Wednesdaym Jan. 2 at 3 p.m. three male suspects robbed a male victim of cash in the 19700 block of Sheryl Avenue. One of the suspects was later identified and arrested. 

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries were up from five to 10 last week. Three of the crime scenes involved open/unlocked doors or windows. Four windows were shattered, two were pried open and one door was kicked in. Jewelry, three handguns and a laptop were taken. The new 2013 weekly average in residential burglaries is 10. 

Sheriff's safety tip: The master bedroom is the number one target in a residential burglary. Thieves know that jewelry, guns, cash, safes and other high-value property will most likely be stored in the master bedroom. Consider placing valuable items in a safe deposit box, or at the very least, in another area of the home such as the garage. If you have several boxes on shelves in your garage and one partially contains valuable items, thieves are very unlikely to locate it. That would take them too much time and that is not what they want to waste. They want to be in and out as quickly as possible and know that the master bedroom will yield the most valuable property for them to pawn. 

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Two commercial burglaries were investigated last week, the same number in the previous reporting period. A window was shattered at a closed business but no property was reported missing. A locker at a skating facility was burglarized and a purse and cell phone were stolen. The 2013 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries increased by one case from 11 to 12. Ten of the crimes occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots. Six were SUVs. MP3 players, purses, wallets, sweatpants, credit cards, jackets, ID and a cello were taken. The new 2013 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 12. 

Sheriff's safety tip: If you leave it, they can take it. Most vehicle burglaries take less than five seconds and are initiated after seeing a valuable item in plain view or watching someone place a purse or wallet in an unsecure area of the vehicle. This is known to occur in parks where victims like to exercise, and sometimes in retail parking lots.  

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts dropped again from four to three cases last week. All three of the new cases were from high-volume commercial parking lots. Two were Hondas and one was a Toyota. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle thefts remained at 3. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Hondas, Toyotas and SUVs are the most commonly stolen vehicles in Cerritos. Notice the stolen vehicles last week? 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.