Thousand Oaks City Watch Update 1/5/10: Increase in Residential Burglaries

Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Deputy Jim DeSoto of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you would like these updates directly from him via email, click here for more information.

Crime Fighters,

Lookout, watch out, and take heed. We are experiencing a significant increase in residential burglaries and we need your help to bring to an end to these crimes. The residential burglaries are occurring in all parts of city, however, Newbury Park, Westlake Village and North Ranch are predominately bearing the impact of the burglaries.

The burglaries have happened during the day and by different methods. Residences left unsecured and entries by force via breaking a window or sliding glass door are typically the ways the residence are accessed. Some of these residences had alarm systems but they were not activated. Alarms and locks are useless hardware unless they are used. If you leave your house for “just a moment” or “for a little bit,” lock those doors and activate the alarms. As you drive away from your house or drive back to your house, look around your surroundings and see if you are being followed or watched. Many of us are creatures of habit and have the same daily routines. The professional crook knows this and exploits your complacency. We may never believe that anyone would be watching us but it happens as some these residences were targeted and watched before the crime took place.

Another criminal method is to send someone to the residence’s front door and try to determine if someone is home by knocking on the door. If someone answers the door, the crook makes up a plausible reason why he is at the door and leaves. If this happens, please call our dispatch at 805-654-9511 so we can contact the person. Your phone calls to dispatch about suspicious persons and vehicles make a tremendous difference and they contribute to positive leads and outcomes.

A crook does not have to back-up a U-Haul truck for it to be a large monetary loss for the victim. Many small items such as jewelry, iphones, collector coins, laptops, etc. can be easily hidden in one’s pocket or a small backpack. After the theft, the thieve(s) will usually walk away from the residence and get into a waiting vehicle. It is imperative that each neighborhood has people that are vigilant, alert for suspicious activities, and mindful to the people and vehicles that surface during the course of the day.

I ask that each of you forward this e-mail to your friends and neighbors to inform them and to ask for their help in stopping these residential burglaries.

Take care,

Jim (DeSoto)