Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Oct. 15 to Oct. 21

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

There were 29 Part I felony crimes were reported to the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station last week, up by one case from the previous week. Residential and commercial burglaries increased, while robberies, vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts declined. There were 283 calls for service handled up from 277 the week before. The new 2012 weekly average in calls for service is now 291.

ROBBERIES

One robbery was reported last week after two male shoplifting suspects struggled with loss prevention personnel on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1:44 p.m. in the 11500 block of South Street. The suspects were able to flee.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries rose from three to 10 last week. Five entries were made through open doors or windows. Three windows were shattered, one was pried open and one front door was kicked in. Jewelry, handguns, backpacks, cash, laptop computers and checkbooks were stolen. The 2012 weekly average in residential burglaries is now 5.0.

Sheriff's safety tip: Second story open windows were the entry points in three of the residential burglaries last week. Make sure that all windows and doors are secured prior to leaving the home. That may not be total insurance that the home will not be burglarized, but for those that do not have alarm systems, (which we recommend), it makes entry more difficult.

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Five commercial burglaries were reported last week, up by one incident from the week before. A school locker and a storage container were burglarized and the loss consisted of cell phones and miscellaneous household items. A closed business had a front door shattered and various games taken. The fourth case involved a vacant warehouse where copper wire was stripped and a retail store was burglarized for a credit card fraud incident. The 2012 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.2.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Two vehicle burglaries were logged last week compared to three for the past two consecutive weeks. A Toyota was stolen from a high-volume commercial parking lot and an Acura from a residential area. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 7.0.

Sheriff's safety tip: We always recommend taking garage door openers with you when you leave the vehicle. If this is not practical, place the opener in the trunk of the vehicle or in the case of an SUV, consider secreting the opener in a place that is not readily accessible to any would-be thief. While we realize this may not always be convenient or practical, you would be protecting an additional “key” to your home. 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts remained the same at three last week. Two of the thefts involved high-volume commercial parking lots. An SUV, a Honda and a Toyota were stolen. The new 2012 weekly average in vehicle thefts remained at 3.9.

Sheriff's safety tip: We always promote the use of steering wheel locking devices as great visible deterrents, but also endorse the use of tracking devices that can lead to the speedy recovery of your stolen vehicle.

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

Got Safety Concerns? Talk to Cerritos Sheriff's Capt. Joe A. Gonzales

Join other community members and meet Cerritos Sheriff's Capt. Joe A. Gonzales at the Coffee with the Captain event on Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Cerritos Senior Center. Click here for a video recap of the last Coffee with the Captain event earlier this year.

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.