Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: March 4 to March 10

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

Part I felony investigations handled by the Cerritos Sheriff's Station rose from 25 the previous reporting period to 28 last week. Vehicle thefts increased, robberies and residential burglaries remained the same, while commercial burglaries and vehicle burglaries declined. There were 288 calls for service logged by patrol deputies, up from 267. The 2013 weekly average in calls for service is 270.

ROBBERIES

There were no reported robberies for the fourth consecutive week.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries remained the same as the week before at two. Windows were shattered in both incidents and a laptop was the only loss reported. The new 2013 weekly average in residential burglaries is 5.2. 

Sheriff's safety tip: We have experienced some cases where neighbors hesitated calling the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station to report what they believed was suspicious activities. Unfortunately, this was revealed after burglaries had been committed. Please don’t think twice about it. Call 911 at once and let deputies make contact and determine if illegal actitity is involved. 

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Commercial burglaries dropped from five to one last week. The front door was shattered on a closed business where headphones were taken. The 2013 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.5. 

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries were down from 15 to nine. Only four of the recent crimes were from high-volume commercial parking lots. Five were SUVs. Two stereos and a GPS unit were among the stolen items. Other property reported missing included backpacks, toys, a tablet, shoes, keys, pepper spray and cash. The new 2013 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 8.5. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Please note some of the stolen items last week. Shoes, toys and keys? Thieves will take anything, so remember to remove valuable items, which may include shoes, toys, or keys from the passenger compartment before you leave the vehicle unattended. It’s really not worth a shattered window and all the time and inconvenience associated with getting your vehicle repaired along with the stolen property replaced. 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts rose from one to five last week. Three of the stolen vehicles were taken from high-volume commercial parking lots. Two SUVs, a Honda, a Cadillac and a Toyota were targeted. The 2013 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 2.9.   

Sheriff's safety tip: Steering wheel locking devices protect vehicles from theft and are an immediate visual deterrent. Do you have one?

 * 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.