> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Rash of car burglaries hit Westside - URL: https://www.smdp.com/rash-of-car-burglaries-hit-westside/ - Published: 2007-08-31T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-25T00:49:43.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Crime, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Car burglary spike* CITYWIDE Just because you lock it up doesn’t mean your most prized possessions are protected. Los Angeles police officers are warning drivers on the Westside to not leave anything valuable in their cars after noticing a recent spike in the number of auto burglaries. The LAPD says thieves are targeting parked cars both on the street and in parking garages. So far this month, suspects have struck 184 times on the Westside, swiping everything from clothes and purses to stereos and laptops. “Historically, this has always been an issue within our division,” said Christopher Ragsdale, a senior lead officer for the LAPD’s West Los Angeles Division. “There are a lot of high profile vehicles here, and overall, this is a safe community, so it’s easy to be complacent. You think it’s OK to leave things in the car, but in reality, it’s not. “We do have predators coming into the division looking for easy targets.” Thieves typically work fast,taking just a few seconds to smash a window and grab a back-pack or GPS system and run. Thieves don’t need to see an iPod or GPS system to know one is in the car, Ragsdale said. A charger or dashboard holder are enough of a tip-off. Most of the thefts have occurred in the evening and early morning hours between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., according to police. ALL’S QUIET ON THE WEST COAST FRONT While the LAPD is on high alert, Santa Monica police reported that auto burglaries are actually down in the city in comparison to last year. From January 2006 to August 2006, there were 587 auto burglaries. During that same period this year, there have been 502, said SMPD Lt. Alex Padilla. So far this month, there have been 58 thefts — a 16-percent drop compared to August 2006. Padilla credited increased enforcement and community awareness as the two main reasons for the drop-off. “Hopefully, it is the result of increased education, providing the public information about not leaving valuables in your Fabian Lewkowicz JACKED: Four tires and a stereo were snatched from a Dodge Magnum while parked overnight at the 1000 block of 14th Street on Jan. 18\. The car was discovered sitting on cinder blocks. Santa Monica Police report that burglaries are actually down in the city while up on the Westside. car in plain site,” Padilla said. “It’s the community reporting on suspicious persons they see. “Just the other day we made an arrest of a car burglar because a neighbor saw him breaking into a car and called police.” Law enforcement officials said the best advice they could give drivers is to not leave any valuables in their cars. Drivers should also keep a clean car, meaning, do not leave any types of bags, purses, sunglasses or chargers out where someone walking by could see them. This only tempts thieves, who have no problem smashing a window just to see if there’s anything inside a backpack or case. If one has a car cover or an alarm, use it, police suggest. “We have to continue to stay vigilant,” Padilla said. “If you don’t stay vigilant and continue to report these crimes, (the level of auto burglaries) will go back to where it was.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 31, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/083107.pdf?ref=smdp.com)