Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Feb. 11 to 17

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

The Cerritos Sheriff’s Station logged 13 Part I felony investigations last week, down from 18 the previous one. Vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts were up; residential burglaries remained the same, as commercial burglaries and robberies were down. Patrol personnel responded to 254 calls for service last week, an increase from 236 the week before. The new 2013 weekly average in calls for service is now 269.

ROBBERIES

There were no reported robberies for this summary period.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries remained the same at two last week. Both of the new cases were made possible by open/unlocked doors or windows. A purse, cash, a laptop computers and iPad were the items reported stolen. A suspect was arrested in one of the cases. The new 2013 weekly average in residential burglaries is 6.1.

Sheriff's safety tip: Make sure that you report any door-to-door solicitors or any other suspicious individuals to the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station. A common method of determining if a home is vulnerable to burglary is for a suspect to knock on the front door and hope that nobody is home. They are known to pose as solicitors or persons distributing flyers on porches.

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Commercial burglaries dropped from four to two cases last week. A storage unit was burglarized but no loss could bedetermined. A glass door was shattered at a closed business where a tablet was taken. The 2013 weekly average in“other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.6.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries increased from five to six. Five occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots. Four were SUVs. Property reported stolen included wallets, credit cards, iPhones, purses, briefcases and a computer bag. The new 2013 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 7.7.

Sheriff's safety tip: Deputies have been reporting that a growing number of thefts from vehicles were attributed to the doors being left unlocked. Please make sure that your vehicle is locked, but only after removing any item of value from the passenger compartment.

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts rose slightly from one to two to one last week. A van and an SUV were stolen from the same residential neighborhood three days apart. The 2013 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 3.0.

Sheriff's safety tip: The best method to immediately display that your vehicle is protected from theft is the use of a visible deterrent such as a steering wheel lock. This inexpensive “insurance policy” can cost between $30-$50, and tells the commonly pressed for time thief that another target would be more appealing. This is especially important if you own an 80’s or 90’s model Honda or Toyota or an SUV.

 * Visit www.safercerritos.com for an extensive library of crime prevention tips, disaster preparedness information, and a variety of links to other pertinent sites.

Crime Map Color Key

• Days is from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. (blue)
• PMs is from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. (orange)
• EMs is from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. (black)
• Unknown indicates a timeframe that overlaps with hours or possibly days from a vacation, a weekend, etc. (red)

Neighborhood Watch Town Hall Meeting Scheduled for April 24

The next Neighborhood Watch Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 7 p.m. at Cerritos Park East. Please note the change of venue from past meetings and join us at 13224 E. 166th St. as members of the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station/Community Safety Center will offer an in-depth presentation on crime in Cerritos. The major topics will be residential burglary prevention and neighborhood vigilance along with the current status of school safety in Cerritos. Plan on being there as we look forward to seeing you and answeringany questions you may have.

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.