9 home burglaries, 1 attempt in Palmdale last week

PALMDALE – In continuing its effort to raise awareness of public safety and crime prevention, Palmdale Sheriff’s Station has released details on recent home break-ins reported within Palmdale.

Nine home burglaries and one attempted home burglary were reported last week (Aug. 25-31) in Palmdale, officials said.

The following is a breakdown of last week’s home break-ins along with safety tips on how to protect your home from burglary.

Palmdale home burglaries reported Aug. 25-31, 2013

On Sunday, Aug. 25, a home burglary was reported on the 6000 block of Scalea Court. The burglary occurred between 7:45 and 10:35 a.m., and the suspect(s) entered through an unlocked sliding glass door. No one was home at the time of the burglary. (ref -12140)

On Monday, Aug. 26, three home burglaries were reported. Between 3:20 a.m. and 4 p.m., a home was burglarized on the 39700 block of Gorham Lane. The suspect(s) entered through the front door, which was inadvertently left unlocked by the resident. No one was home at the time of the burglary. (ref -12203)

Between 6:15 and 11:45 a.m., a home was burglarized on the 37500 block of Penara Street. The suspect(s) gained entry by forcing open a locked sliding glass door. No one was home at the time of the burglary. (ref -12179)

Some time between Aug. 22 and Aug. 26, a house was burglarized on the 5000 block of Opal Avenue. The suspect(s) entered the house by smashing a second floor window above a covered patio. No one was home at the time of the burglary. (ref -12196)

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, two home burglaries were reported. Between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., a residence was burglarized on the 500 block of East Avenue Q-5. The suspect(s) entered the residence through an unlocked window. No one was home at the time of the burglary. The suspect was identified, located, and arrested later that day. (ref -12255)

Between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., a house was burglarized on the 4800 block of Adobe Drive. The suspect(s) entered the house through a rear sliding glass window that had a malfunctioning lock. No one was home at the time of the burglary. (ref -12250)

On Wednesday, Aug. 28, two home burglaries were reported. Between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., a home was burglarized on the 38600 block of Glenbush Avenue. The suspect(s) gained entry through a rear sliding glass door. The resident may have left the sliding door unlocked. No one was home during the burglary. (ref -12298)

Between 10:40 a.m. and 2:10 p.m., a home was burglarized on the 3200 block of Quarry Court. The suspect(s) entered the house through the front door. The resident said he knew the lock had been malfunctioning and had not yet repaired it. No one was home at the time of the burglary. (ref -12313)

On Thursday, Aug. 29, one attempted burglary was reported at a home on the 6300 block of Scalea Court. The incident happened between 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. A resident came home and found a front window open with a screen that had been cut. Nothing inside the house had been stolen or disturbed. It appeared the suspect(s) did not actually enter the location after opening the window. It is not known what prevented the suspect(s) from entering the house. No one was home during the attempted burglary. (ref -12395)

On Friday, Aug. 30, one home burglary was reported on the 3300 block of Honeysuckle Avenue. Between 6:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m., the suspect(s) gained entry by kicking open a locked rear exterior garage door. Once inside the garage, the suspect(s) entered the house through an unlocked interior door. No one was home during the burglary. (ref -12439)

If you have any information regarding any of these home burglaries, contact the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station Detectives at 661-272-2400.

Burglary Prevention Tips

1. Never leave doors or windows unlocked when leaving home, including second floor windows.
2. Secure all obvious points of entry to your home. Pretend you are the burglar and plan how you would break into your own house. Install secondary locking devices (such as anti-lift devices, through-the-door pins, or track screws).
3. Create the illusion that you are home using timers on lights, radios, and televisions.
4. Use a timer or photocell to automatically turn on lights at dusk. Leave porch lights on throughout the night, even when you are home.
5. Keep shrubbery near doors and windows trimmed. Don’t provide the burglars with a hiding place or climbing platform.
6. Avoid displaying valuable items such as TVs and computers near windows with open drapes or shades.
7. Use highly visible alarms signs, “Beware of Dog” signs, or Neighborhood Watch decals.
8. Don’t leave your garage door transmitter in your vehicle, or at least keep it out of view (the visor is not a good place). Also keep the door locked leading from the garage into the house. If the burglar gets into your car you don’t want to give him/her easy access to your garage and then your house.
9. Keep extra keys out of sight and in a safe place. Never hide a key outside, most hiding places are obvious to burglars.
10. Organize a Neighborhood Watch group to protect your neighborhood. Contact the City of Palmdale’s Public Safety Office at (661)267-5170 or at publicsafety@cityofpalmdale.org for more information on organizing a Neighborhood Watch group.

If you see suspicious people or vehicles in your neighborhood, contact the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station at 661-272-2400.

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