Last year, an increasing number of residential burglaries were reported in several Ventura County communities; particularly during the daylight savings time period. These burglaries shared some commonalities, including the residences being located near open spaces and hiking trails. Several of these homes were within gated communities that employ private security. While this is an extra layer of security for the resident, it did not prevent the suspects from approaching the properties on foot through these open spaces and entering the backyards.
These burglaries occurred during the holiday months, often when victims were briefly out to dinner or left their homes vacant for several days while on vacation. Suspects looked for indicators that the residence was unoccupied and then forced entry inside. A large number of these crimes occurred between 5 pm to 9 pm. Suspects targeted jewelry, small safes, and valuables, mostly within the master bedroom. It is possible in some cases that the suspects watched the residence and waited for the occupants to leave.
An extensive investigation employing numerous resources within the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of several suspects who were committing some of these burglaries.
Undoubtedly, these arrests have prevented some additional burglaries, however, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like homeowners and residents to take extra precautions to protect themselves and their property:
- Leave interior lights or a television on and a vehicle in the driveway to give the appearance the home is occupied.
- Install high quality exterior cameras with clear day and night time resolution that is at face level.
- Have cameras cover common entry points such as front door, back windows and back sliding doors.
- Choose camera systems that can alert you of activation with an app on your phone.
- It is also important to be familiar with your camera security system so that you can access and or download the footage if needed.
- If you’re leaving for days at a time, let neighbors know and consider having someone check on your home while you’re away.
- While away, store your jewelry and valuables in a secure safe or hidden location. These criminals have been known to defeat some safes, so a safe deposit box is a safer alternative.
- If you choose to have an alarm; choose one with glass breakage detection.
- The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office offers Vacation House Checks through our Volunteers In Policing (VIP’s) programs or as extra patrol requests:
o Thousand Oaks Police and Sheriff’s Station ~ (805) 371-8398
o Moorpark Police and Sheriff’s Station ~ (805) 532-2700
o Camarillo Police and Sheriff’s Station ~ (805) 388-5100
o Ojai Police and Sheriff’s Station ~ (805) 646-1414
o Fillmore Police and Sheriff’s Station ~ (805) 524-2233
o Headquarters Sheriff’s Station ~ (805) 654-2668
Remember to call 911 if you witness a crime or discover you are a victim of a crime. If you are away from your home and receive an alert from your camera system and confirm suspicious activity, make the Sheriff’s Communication Center your first call at (805) 654-9511. If you call 911 from another jurisdiction, your call will be delayed while the agency answering routes your call to us.
Take note of the make, model, and license plate of any suspicious vehicles that are parked in the neighborhood that look unfamiliar. Immediately report suspicious persons that are trying to conceal their identity or are acting nervous. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office requests that you do not approach suspicious persons or vehicles. Call the Sheriff’s Communication Center to report suspicious activity, and a deputy will respond to investigate.
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