Crime & Safety

Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Feb. 4 to 10

Motorists are reminded that it takes less than three seconds for someone to smash the window, reach in and grab your property, and to be on their way -- so do not leave anything in plain sight inside your vehicle.

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

There were 18 Part I felony investigations logged by the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station last week, down from 24 the week before. Robberies and commercial burglaries were up. Residential burglaries, vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts declined. 236 calls for service were handled by patrol deputies, down from 284 the previous week. The new weekly average in calls for service is now 272.

ROBBERIES

There was one robbery investigated last week. A male pushed a female to the ground on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 6:45 p.m. at a business in 11500 block of South Street and took her cell phone. The parties know each other.

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RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries were down from five to two last week. A garage door opener was used to gain access to a garage where a backpack and a GPS unit were taken from a vehicle. The suspect was arrested by Cerritos Station deputies just moments later and the property was recovered. A window was pried open in the second incident resulting in the loss of coins and jewelry. The new 2013 weekly average in residential burglaries is 6.8. 

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Sheriff's safety tip: Garage door openers left in vehicles parked outside are always vulnerable to theft for future use. Something to consider when leaving your parked vehicle. The related crime last week occurred in the nightime hours. 

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Commercial burglaries increased from two to four last week. A storage unit was entered through a hole cut in a common wall. Toys and lamps were the reported loss items. Three closed business were also burglarized by shattering windows. Laptop computers were taken. The 2013 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.7. 

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries fell from nine to five. High-volume commercial parking lots were involved in four of the crimes last week. Three were SUVs and stereo items were taken in one burglary. Other property stolen consisted of cosmetics, backpacks, checks, a stenograph machine, laptop computers, a purse and an iPad. The new 2013 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 8.0. 

Sheriff's safety tip: All of the items stolen were in passenger compartments, visible, and made easily available to the thieves. Vehicle burglars do not honor a quarter inch of glass left to protect these stolen items, as four windows were smashed last week. Do not leave anything in the passenger compartment of your vehicles. It takes less than three seconds for someone to smash the window, reach in and grab your property, and to be on their way.

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts were also down from four to one last week. An SUV was stolen from a residential neighborhood. The 2013 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 3.2. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Car thieves are not always as selective as you think and are most often just looking for transportation. Consider a steering wheel locking device that serves as a good visual deterrent.

 * 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.


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