Santa Monica police offer free home inspections
SUNSET PARK — Three home burglaries have occurred here in the past week, signifying that a three-month crime spree carried out by unknown thieves is still a reality for residents.
The most recent burglaries occurred last weekend in the 2500 block of Cloverfield Boulevard and the 1700 block of Hill Street. Both homes were burglarized while the occupants weren’t home. The thieves broke into the homes and stole items small enough to carry away — laptop computers and jewelry, said Santa Monica Police Department Lt. Alex Padilla.
On Friday, March 18, the unknown suspects broke into the home on Hill Street through a sliding glass door between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Later that day, thieves broke into the home on Cloverfield Boulevard through a window between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., Padilla said.
On March 17, a garage was broken into on the 800 block of Maple Street. Thieves forced open the garage door and stole stereo equipment sometime between midnight and 8 a.m., Padilla said.
There have been 23 home burglaries in the neighborhood since Dec. 4 and five attempted break-ins. Of the 28 burglaries or attempted break-ins in the Sunset Park neighborhood — which stretches from Lincoln Boulevard to Centinela, and Pico Boulevard to the southern city limits — nine occurred in December, 10 in January, five in February and three in March, police said. In December, the most active days were Tuesdays and Thursdays. In January, the most active days were Monday and Wednesdays, police said.
Police have not yet been able to link the burglaries to one suspect because there have been no witnesses to the crimes — most of them have occurred during the day when people typically aren’t home.
The burglars have taken mostly items small enough to fit into a bag, backpack or pocket. Some of the items stolen have been a laptop computer, an iPod and jewelry.
Police urge residents to immediately report any suspicious persons stopping or loitering in the area. They believe the suspects might be on foot. High ranking officers continue to meet with residents in the area to discuss possible leads and how they can protect themselves.
Beyond beefed up patrols — by car as well as on foot and bicycle — police are working with the neighborhood group Friends of Sunset Park to organize community watch efforts and get the word out that residents should lock doors and gates at all times, not store hidden keys outdoors, and try to keep outside lights on at night. Undercover officers also are patrolling the neighborhood.
Police are performing free security inspections of people’s homes, which can be requested at the SMPD’s community relations division (310) 458-8474. If residents would like to organize a neighborhood watch with police, they are asked to call the community relations division. For updated information, residents can log onto the SMPD’s Web site, santamonicapd.org.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 25, 2005. Read the original PDF.