Thousand Oaks City Watch Update, March 2, 2010

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,

I encourage everyone to remain alert and attentive. We greatly appreciate your telephone calls to dispatch and our officers are making important contacts that were generated from your calls. The information that officers obtain is frequently forwarded to our detectives who are able to make arrests on past crimes. Keep those phone calls coming.

I have seen two trends concerning juveniles that parents should be aware of. Juvenile shoplifting seems to be a constant dilemma at The Oaks Shopping Center. The deputies are busy responding to petty thefts at The Oaks and it takes the officer away from street patrol. On an individual basis, the time is not significant but the total amount of time the deputies are spending over a month’s period can be better spent.

Periodically deputies respond to homes where the parents are away and the son or daughter is giving a party where alcoholic drinks are being served. Citing the party-giver for the social host ordinance is one concern but another point is equally as important. Many times items are stolen from the homes by the party attendees. Jewelry, money, small electronics or other small valuable items are commonly stolen. Juveniles do not see the party for its dangers of serving alcoholic drinks and the potential for theft. Unfortunately, most of what is taken belongs to the parents. With the bad influences, drugs and destructive behaviors, we all need to help keep our teens and children of Conejo Valley on the straight path.

There was a “hot prowl” on Northam Avenue in Newbury Park. The homeowner was woken at about 2 am and saw a 6-foot male, early 20s wearing a baseball cap and gray hooded sweatshirt in the victim’s bedroom.  The intruder has not been identified. The burglar entered the house through an unlocked side garage door and into the residence through the unlocked connecting door. This illustrates the importance of keeping doors and windows locked and secured when you are sleeping. When in progress crimes are occurring or when urgent situations happen, please call our dispatch at 911 or at 805-654-9511 immediately as it provides us a better chance to catch the persons involved. If you have any information regarding this incident, please call our detectives at 805-494-8201.

Movie theater parking lots have always been a favorite target for vehicle burglaries. Simi Valley has been experiencing an increase in vehicle burglaries and those who commit these crimes are typically mobile and go from one city to another. We are fortunate not to be experiencing vehicle break-ins at our movie theaters but it should serve as a reminder not to keep valuables inside your vehicles during extended periods of time and to be alert for suspicious behavior and vehicles while going to your favorite shopping mall.

The message is getting out and working! I want to congratulate the residents of Wildwood Park area. An alert citizen helped place a criminal behind bars. This astute person saw some “suspicious behavior” in the parking lot of Wildwood Park. Deputies were called and contacted the villain. After an investigation by the responding deputies, the crook was arrested for possession of stolen property. This felon had stolen property from thefts that were committed in Los Angeles County and from another state on the east coast.

This person obviously had ties to a greater network of crooks and thieves. This crook was seen looking into vehicles and the only reason the vehicles were not broken into is that there was no visible property to take within the vehicles. Thank you. The word is getting around about not leaving valuables in vehicles and to report all suspicious activities. Let the police decide whether criminal conduct is happening.

Finally, if you have a son or daughter or know someone between the ages of 14 and 20 who is interested in law enforcement, the Thousand Oaks Police department offers a great opportunity for them to become familiar with what a law enforcement career is like and to work alongside deputies. The Thousand Oaks Police Department will have an open house for this Explorer program on Tuesday March 9 at the Thousand Oaks Police Department located at 2101 East Olsen Road. The open house will start at 6 pm. This is truly a chance to learn about law enforcement and to be mentored by selfless deputies.

Take Care,

Jim (DeSoto)