Crime & Safety

Sheriff's Deputies Arrest Two Cerritos Burglary Suspects

A 33-year-old man and 17-year-old boy have been arrested in connection with breaking into a Cerritos resident's storage unit over the weekend.

Cerritos Sheriff’s deputies recently arrested two burglary suspects accused of breaking into a Cerritos resident’s carport storage unit, authorities said.

Juan Guerrero, 33, and his accomplice, a 17-year-old Hispanic boy, whose name was withheld because of his age, were taken into custody on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 29, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The events leading up to the pair’s arrests began about 11:35 a.m. that same day when deputies from the responded to a call regarding a burglary that had just occurred in the 13400 block of Village Drive, said sheriff's Lt. G. Deedrick.

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The male resident told responding deputies that he had walked out to his carport area and discovered the suspects removing property from his storage unit, the lieutenant said.

After being confronted by the victim, the pair abandoned the man’s property and fled from the location in a vehicle.

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With information provided by the victim on the burglars and their getaway vehicle, deputies were able to track down the two suspects at a location in Norwalk.

“The deputies saturated the area and found these two (suspects),” Deedrick said. After being positively identified by the victim, the pair was arrested for burglary.

Guerrero is currently being held at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles in lieu of $60,000 bail and is scheduled to appear at the Bellflower Courthouse at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 10., according to the sheriff’s Inmate Information Center website. Information on the status of the minor was not immediately available.

The spate of residential and vehicle burglaries this year continues to be the top concern when it comes to public safety in the city, Cerritos Sheriff's Station Capt. Joe A. Gonzales said. 

“All the statistics show that the crime rates (in Cerritos) are down, except for burglaries," Gonzales told Patch. "We throw everything at the burglary suppression." 

As of Oct. 23, an average of 3.9 residential burglaries have reported each week in 2011. When it comes to vehicle burglaries, this year's weekly average of reported break-ins stands at 6.6, according to data provided in the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station’s weekly crime recap.

Cerritos residents are encouraged to observe the activities in their neighborhood and report any suspicious activity, sounds, people or vehicles to the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station by calling (562) 860-0044. To report an emergency or a crime in progress, residents should call 911.

Additional crime prevention tips are available on the City’s Safer Cerritos website at safercerritos.com.


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