Crime & Safety

Vehicle Burglaries On the Rise in Cerritos

There have been 33 vehicle break-ins reported in the city over the past two weeks, according to the Cerritos Sheriff's Station.

A spate of vehicle burglaries in the city of Cerritos in recent weeks prompted a reminder from the for motorists to be smart when it comes to leaving items of value in their vehicles.

“We've had a slight increase in vehicle burglaries during the last two weeks,” said sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Deedrick. “Most of the vehicle burglaries occur when valuables are left out in plain view.”

During the week of April 23 to April 29, there were 19 vehicle break-ins recorded, according to the city’s weekly crime recap. From April 30 to May 6, another 14 vehicle burglary reports were taken, including three break-ins near in the 18100 block of Dumont Avenue, and three more cases in the parking lot, according to Deedrick.

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“Vehicle burglaries are quite often a crime of opportunity, and our goal is to minimize the opportunities by reminding motorists not to leave items of value in plain sight,” he added.

Deedrick said being diligent about keeping your valuables hidden is especially important when a person leaves their car in a parking lot for a long period of time.

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“If you’re going to an event, to the park, or to a shopping center, you can reduce your chances of becoming a victim by keeping your valuables locked in the trunk or taking them with you,” the lieutenant said.

As the weather warms up, motorists are also sometimes inclined to leave windows partially or completely open to cool the vehicle while parked. But the sheriff's station points out that this can be a dangerous practice that could result in the loss of property from within the vehicle, or the vehicle itself.    

For more safety tips, visit the Safer Cerritos website.

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