Cerritos Weekly Crime Recap: Sept. 3 to Sept. 9

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 conducted by the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station dropped to 15 last week compared to 21 the previous one. During the current reporting period, robberies and residential burglaries remained the same while commercial burglaries, vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts declined. Field deputies handled 238 calls for service last week, down from 265 the week before.The 2012 weekly average in calls for service remains at 269.

ROBBERIES

Two robbery incidents were reported last week.

The first was an attempted robbery that occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 11:53 a.m. in the 11200 block of Gonsalves Street. Two suspects were attempting to rob a male, victimand his son after making an arrangement for a transaction on Craigslist. An alert neighbor called Cerritos Station and deputies interrupted the crime and arrested both suspects.

On Thursday, Sept. 6 at 10:40 a.m. a male entered a gas station in the 16800 clock of Norwalk Boulevard and produced a handgun. The sales clerk ran out of the building and the suspect was forced to leave without any money.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Residential burglaries remained the same at three last week. An unlocked door and window were used as entry points and a door was kicked in during the third crime. A bicycle was the only reported loss. The 2012 weekly average inresidential burglaries is now 4.6.

Sheriff's safety tip: Alert neighbors are instrumental in the apprehension of criminals. As with the attempted robbery described above, one call was all it took to get deputies on the scene and the results were in the best interests of all involved (except for the criminals!). Don’t hesitate to call the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station at (562) 860-0044 if you see someone or something suspicious.

COMMERCIAL/OTHER STRUCTURE BURGLARIES

Two commercial burglaries were recorded compared to three the week before. A fitness center locker and a closed business were targeted. A wallet was the only item determined to be missing. The 2012 weekly average in “other structure”/commercial burglaries is 2.0.

VEHICLE BURGLARIES

Vehicle burglaries dropped from eight to four last week. High-volume commercial parking lots were the crime scenes in three of the recent cases. Three were SUVs. A flashlight, knives, a wallet, cell phones, MP3 players and CDs were stolen. The 2012 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 7.4.

Sheriff's safety tip: SUVs, vans, and pick-up trucks are not equipped with secure trunk space that hold and conceal property. These types of vehicles were involved in three of the four vehicle burglaries reported, and are clearly in the majority again this year. Thieves are well aware of this and will rarely come up empty-handed after they break in. Keep this in mind and avoid leaving anything at all of value in these types of vehicles.

VEHICLE THEFTS

No vehicle thefts were reported last week. Two were logged the three previous consecutive weeks. The new 2012 weekly average in vehicle thefts remained at 3.1.

Sheriff's safety tip: Even though we see more SUVs, Hondas and Toyotas stolen compared to others, car thieves are not always as selective as you think and are most often just looking for transportation. Consider a steering wheel locking device that serves as a good visual deterrent. 

 * 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.