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“In towns and cities... there is no more important institution than the local paper.”
Warren Buffett
Reported Part I felony crimes continue to see-saw week-to-week (19, then 11, and now 18 this past week). The following is a breakdown of crimes by category: no robberies (very good news); two residential burglaries; one commercial/other burglary; four grand thefts; seven vehicle burglaries; and four stolen vehicles. Deputies made five felony arrests, 14 misdemeanor arrests, three warrant arrests, and issued 142 traffic citations. The Sheriff’s dispatch center also received 324 calls for service, a considerable increase from the 273 received the previous week.
At about 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning someone attempted to enter a home in the 11200 block of Rose Avenue by prying a side door. This was an attempt only as no entry into the residence was made. The other residential burglary occurred in the 17400 block of Jeffrey Avenue sometime Friday morning through early Saturday afternoon. The front door of the residence was kicked in, but the loss is undetermined at this time. The good news is that fingerprints were obtained in this case and a suspect has been identified. When investigators canvassed the neighborhood to seek out witnesses, a nearby neighbor commented that a woman had knocked on his door during the time period that the burglary took place. He was unable to understand what she was saying so he closed the door. The description provided by the neighbor matches the suspect whose fingerprints were found inside the burglarized residence (an arrest, as they say, is imminent). This case is a good example of how important it is for homeowners to be on guard for “knock-knock” burglars. Two crime prevention phrases come to mind when reviewing these cases: “Lock it, Hide it, Keep It,” and “If You See Something, Say Something.”
The commercial/other burglary involved the loss of a handheld radio at Mary Bragg Elementary School. Either late Wednesday or early Thursday morning someone pried a classroom window and stole the radio. Four other bungalow windows also had pry marks, but no entry was made.
Late Sunday or early Monday morning someone took $1 from a Lexus parked in the 17856 block of Hoffman Avenue. On Tuesday evening a driver’s window was shattered on a Honda Pilot in the 18100 block of Dumont Avenue and a wallet and cash were stolen. On Thursday afternoon a wallet and cash were stolen from a Ford Mustang in the 10800 block of Alondra Boulevard, and about dinner time the next day a computer and a purse were stolen from a Ford van in the 10900 block of Alondra Boulevard. Also during the dinner hour on Saturday another purse was stolen from a Honda Odyssey parked in the 13200 block of 166th Street. On either Saturday evening or early Sunday morning a window was shattered on a Lincoln Town Car parked in the 18000 block of Studebaker Road and a portable CD player was stolen. The last vehicle burglary occurred early Sunday morning and involved a Fiat 500 parked in the 11200 block of Agnes Street. A rear window was shattered and a laptop and an iPad were stolen. Please remember, a quarter inch of vehicle window glass cannot protect purses and laptops. “Lock It, Hide It, Keep It.”
The grand thefts involved the loss of $7,000 worth of copper wire at a business in the 14133 block of Arbor Place. A tailgate on a Ford F-250 was stolen in the 13100 block of Briarwood Street. A suitcase containing electronic items was stolen from a bus stop on the corner of South Street and Bloomfield Avenue. Two suspects stole the side saddles, a jacket, and the cover from a motorcycle parked in the 15900 block of Puima Avenue. And an employee was arrested for stealing about $7,500 in jewelry from a kiosk in the Macy’s store in the mall.
Finally, three vehicles were reported stolen this past week, two in residential areas and one at the Towne Center. A Kia Sorrento was stolen on Thursday from the 13000 block of La Jara Street. This vehicle was recovered the same day in Norwalk. Also on Thursday an older model Honda Accord was stolen at the Towne Center. And sometime late Friday through Sunday morning a GMC pickup was stolen from the 13400 block of Village Drive.
Cerritos residents, business owners, and their employees are encouraged to join the Cerritos Virtual Block Club (CVBC). If you are interested in helping our Sheriff’s Department prevent and reduce crime, and enhancing your own personal and neighborhood safety, join the CVBC on-line at our website devoted to public safety in the City of Cerritos. We encourage you to share the information with your family, friends, and co-workers. Go to www.safercerritos.com to sign up.