CERRITOS SHERIFF’S STATION Weekly Crime Summary October 11-17, 2010

Twenty-eight Part I felony investigations were conducted by members of the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station last week, up from twenty the previous period. Robberies and commercial burglaries increased, residential burglaries remained the same, while vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts declined. Calls for service increased by one after 273 were recorded. The 2010 weekly average in calls for service remained at 299.
There was one robbery reported. A lone gunman robbed a bank in the 11800 block of South Street on Thursday October 14 at 10:45 a.m.
There were three residential burglaries reported last week, the same as the previous week. Two windows were left open or unlocked, and a sliding glass door was pried last week. Jewelry and laptop computers were stolen. The current 2010 weekly average in residential burglaries is 2.6.
We have previously mentioned that the residential burglar will try to enter the home with the least amount of effort. Leaving doors and windows open creates that effortless opportunity. In one case last week, a second story window was left open and was used as a point of entry. Regardless of where the door or window is located, make sure that you check and secure them prior to leaving the residence.
There were three commercial burglaries reported. Two were investigated the week before. All were closed businesses last week. A glass door was shattered, a window was pried, and a rear door was forced open. Loss items consisted of laptop computers, a sump pump, and a printer. The 2010 weekly average in commercial burglaries is 2.5.
Vehicle burglaries dropped by one case when nine were reported last week. Eight occurred in high-volume commercial parking lots. Five were SUVs. Two stereo systems were taken along with third-row seats (from SUVs), purses, wallets, ID, laptop computers, Social Security cards, cell phones, and sunglasses. The 2010 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is now 7.0.
We consistently see cases involving fitness center lots. This is an unfortunate trend that we have seen develop over the past few years. Patrons do not feel comfortable using fitness center lockers, but our statistics show that rarely is a locker targeted versus the frequent number of vehicles. Take the items with you, leave them at home, or lock them in the trunk if you absolutely must have them in the car.
Vehicle thefts dropped from two to one last week. An SUV was taken from a high-volume parking lot. The 2010 weekly average in vehicle thefts is 4.5.
There was no information to suggest that the vehicle stolen was equipped with any type of anti-theft device. Transportation and parts are frequently the cause of vehicle thefts, therefore if transportation is the motive, any make or model will do. Consider a steering wheel locking device that serves as a good visual deterrent.
Go to www.safercerritos.com for an extensive library of crime prevention tips, disaster preparedness information, and a variety of links to other pertinent sites.