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# High alert North of Montana
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/high-alert-north-of-montana/
- Published: 2007-03-31T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:20:03.000Z
- Author: Kevin Herrera
- Tags: Crime, Montana, #archive-import

*Burglars striking amid the daylight*

NORTH OF MONTANA A recent string of burglaries here has residents on edge.

While police comb the area for suspects, they are reminding homeowners to protect themselves and their property by keeping doors and windows locked, even if stepping out for just a few minutes.

The majority of the burglaries — at least nine since January — have occurred during the day when people are typically not at home. The suspects enter through open windows or unlocked back doors and usually target the master bedroom or home office looking for jewelry, money, keys, and in some cases, safes containing highly-personal items like family heirlooms.

One homeowner living on 10th Street said crooks took a letter belonging to her adopted daughter that was written by the girl’s birth-mother with the intention of having the daughter read it on her 18th birthday.

“These are things that you can never get back,” said the homeowner, who declined to give their name out of fear of being targeted again by burglars. “I couldn’t go back into my closet for weeks. It was just the thought that someone else had been in my home. It’s very unsettling.”

Some of the burglaries have included homes under construction or going through a significant renovation. Burglars, in at least three incidents, have entered these homes and stolen tools.

Neighbors north of Montana Avenue have been circulating a newsletter warning residents to be vigilant and report anything suspicious to police. The flier also urges residents to get to know one another and create contact lists with fellow neighbors’ phone FROM BURGLAR PAGE 1 numbers so that they can better communicate with one another.

The newsletter says there have been burglaries on 22nd Street, 21st Place, 21st Street and 12th Street. The dates of the burglaries were not listed.

Police Chief Timothy Jackman met with the North of Montana Neighborhood Association in early March to discuss the burglaries. Police reminded residents to keep doors and windows locked, as the burglars are very efficient. Residents were also told to set alarms if they have them and report anything out of the ordinary, no matter how small, to the police.

“Some residents don’t want to call because they don’t want to bother the police, but that’s what we’re here for,” SMPD Lt. Alex Padilla said.

While one burglary is one too many, Padilla said nine in a three-month stretch is not a considerable amount. He did say the close proximity of some of the burglaries did however raise some eyebrows.

Sunset Park has also had its fair share of burglaries in the last few months. According to the SMPD, there have been at least 10 break-ins there in 2007\. Many were done in the same manner as the burglaries north of Montana Avenue.

Officers have little to go on other than a few descriptions provided by residents. The suspects are said to be two black males in their 20s driving a late model, dark green Pontiac Grand Am. Residents have also talked about the high number of construction works in the area.

“Let’s remain good neighbors and look out for each other,” the flier states. “Please report suspicious behavior and keep in touch with your neighbors … Let us all do our part for each other and stop these creeps before they strike again. Get involved.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 31, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/033107.pdf?ref=smdp.com)