Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Jan. 7 to Jan. 13

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

Cerritos Sheriff’s Station deputies investigated 26 Part I felony crimes last week, down from 34 the week before. Commercial burglaries were up, robberies and residential burglaries remained the same, while vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts declined. There were 280 calls for service handled by field deputies last week up from 272 the previous one. The new weekly average in calls for service is now 276.

ROBBERIES

One robbery was logged during this period when two male suspects robbed a gas station in the 13300 block of South Street at gunpoint on Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 10:30 p.m. After that crime, the suspects robbed three other gas stations in Orange County but were arrested just before robbing a fourth.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Ten residential burglaries were investigated for a second consecutive week. Five of the recent incidents were made possible by open/unlocked doors or windows. Four windows were shattered and a rear sliding door was pried open. Cash, laptop computers, jewelry, handguns and an iPad were taken. The new 2013 weekly average in residential burglaries is 10.

Sheriff's safety tip: Do you have an alarm system? Don’t wait until you become a victim of a residential burglary to get one.

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Three commercial burglaries were reported, up by one from the last reporting period. A closed business had a rear door pried open where cash and merchandise was taken. A school locker was targeted for an iPhone, which was recovered when the suspect was arrested. The third case involved an open store where a suspect was arrested and a stolen TV recovered. The 2013 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.5.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries dropped from 12 to seven. Four of last week’s crimes occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots. Three involved SUV, two GPS units were taken along with a stereo. Other stolen items included wallets, Bluetooths, credit cards, ID, computers and a briefcase. The new 2013 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 9.5.

Sheriff's safety tip: Is less than a quarter inch of glass adequate to safeguard the property left visible in the passenger compartment of your vehicle? Considering five of the seven vehicle burglaries last week were attributed to shattered windows, we think not. 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts dropped again from three cases to two last week. Both of the recent cases were from high-volume commercial parking lots and both were SUVs. The 2013 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 2.5.

Sheriff's safety tip: Remember, car alarms are a common occurrence in any lot. Because of this, people tend to dismiss them and not pay much attention to the origin of the alarm. Take a look and obtain a license plate number and suspect description if there is something suspicious associated with the alarm. Call 911 at once.

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

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.