Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: July 30 to Aug. 5

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

There were 25 Part I felony investigations conducted by personnel last week, down by one case from the previous week. Residential burglaries increased, robberies remained the same, as commercial burglaries, vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts declined. Patrol deputies handled 290 calls for service last week, down ten calls from the week before. The 2012 weekly average in calls for service now stands at 269. 

ROBBERIES

Two robberies were reported.  

On Tuesday, July 31 at 10:27 a.m. a female suspect -- later believed to be the elusive "Plain Jane Bandit," robbed a bank in the 11900 block of South Street. She was later arrested and charged with multiple bank robberies in Los Angeles and Orange counties. ( to read the complete story of her arrest.)

The second case occurred on Sunday, Aug. 5 at 10:45 a.m. in the 16300 block of Stony Grove Lane. A male suspect robbed a male victim of a cell phone and vehicle. This suspect was also arrested and charged with multiple counts of car-jacking/robbery in Cerritos and adjacent cities. ( to read the complete story of his arrest.)

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries were up from four to 11 last week. Six of the most recent crimes involved open/unlocked doors or windows, two windows were pried open, two were shattered, and a rear door was kicked in. Jewelry, laptop computers, iPads, currency, a handgun and an air conditioner were among the stolen items. The 2012 weekly average in residential burglaries is now 4.4. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Alarm systems and dogs are the burglar’s worse enemies. Both detect presence, and both alert others to that presence. It is an excellent idea to have at least one or the other! 

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

There was one attempted commercial burglary. A parking structure gate was forced open with a vehicle but no loss occurred. The 2012 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 1.9.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries dropped again from 10 cases to six last week. Four of the cases last week were in high-volume commercial parking lots. Three were SUVs, and a GPS unit was taken in one incident.  Computers, credit cards, purses and ID were stolen. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 7.7. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Would you rely on less than a quarter inch of glass to protect your valuable property? Unfortunately, too many people do by leaving items in the passenger compartment of their vehicles. Thieves will gladly make you a victim without a second thought. Don’t provide them the opportunity to do so. Take your property with you or at the very least, lock it in the trunk.

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts were down again from two to one last week. A Toyota was stolen from a high-volume commercial parking lot. The new 2012 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 3.3. 

Sheriff's safety tip: How are you protecting your vehicle? Do you have a steering wheel locking device or is your vehicle equipped with tracking capabilities? Any form of additional security is better than none at all!   

 * 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.