Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Sept. 26 to Oct. 2

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

According to the ,  28 Part I felony crimes were reported last week, up from 19 the week before. Residential burglaries, vehicle burglaries, and vehicle thefts increased during this period, while robberies remained the same, and commercial burglaries declined. Calls for service were up from 255 to 278. The current 2011 weekly average in calls for service is 273.

ROBBERIES

A robbery was reported on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 2:15 p.m. when a male victim was assaulted in a bank lot located in the 11400 block of South Street by a lone male suspect. A bag of cash was taken and the suspect fled on foot.  

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Eight residential burglaries were reported during this period compared to five the previous week. Six of the crimes involved open or unlocked doors or windows, one window was pried open, and one was shattered. Laptop computers, cash, and shoes were among the items taken. The 2011 weekly average in residential burglaries remains at 3.9.

Sheriff's safety tip: Leaving doors and windows unlocked or open and the prying of sliding glass doors or windows are the leading causes of residential burglaries in Cerritos. Take the time to make sure that everything is properly secured before leaving and ensure that your sliding glass doors and windows are equipped with hardware to keep the window tightly secured to the frame.  This prevents the vertical and lateral movement necessary to lift it from the tracks. 

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

There were no commercial burglaries reported to Cerritos Station during this poeriod. The 2011 weekly average in commercial/“other structure” burglaries is 3.1.  

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries rose from nine to 13 this week. Ten of these break-ins occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots. Eight involved were SUVs. Laptop computers, make-up, cell phones, purses, cameras, GPS units, and third-row seats (from an SUV) were taken. The 2011 weekly average in vehicle burglaries remained at 6.6. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Are you leaving anything of value in your vehicle like the victims mentioned above? Simply put, if it is not there it cannot be taken. 

VEHICLE THEFTS

Vehicle thefts increased from one to two last week.  Two Hondas were stolen.  One was taken from a residential street, and the other from a high-volume commercial parking lot. The 2011 weekly average in vehicle thefts is 2.8. 

Sheriff's safety tip: Along with Honda and Toyota products, SUVs are popular with vehicle thieves. They are often taken to other locations and stripped for seats, DVD players, etc. Make sure that you protect your vehicle with a steering wheel locking device at the very least.

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