Earlier today, the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) distributed its regular crime alert detailing two burglaries in the area. Here are the descriptions of the break-ins:
Burglary 1 – 13400 Block of Irvine Avenue
This burglary occurred Jan. 1 between noon and 1:30 p.m.
While the victims were out, an unknown suspect entered the victim’s backyard through an unsecured side gate, walked around to the back of the house and shattered the sliding glass door leading into the living room. Once inside, the suspect ransacked the living room, master bedroom and cabinets, storage areas and closets in three other rooms of the home. The suspect removed the listed property and then fled out the side garage door.
The suspect then removed two fence boards from the fence that separates the neighboring home, near the garage door. The suspect proceeded across that backyard to the living room sliding glass door and shattered that door. Once inside, the suspect again ransacked all of the bedrooms. The suspect located the victim’s car keys and fled in the victim’s Jeep Cherokee that had been parked in the garage.
Losses in the burglary included a passport and laptop and Jeep Cherokee; additional items may have been taken, but unknown at the time of the report.
Burglary 2 – 2100 Block of Highland Dr.
This burglary occurred Dec. 28 at 6:30 a.m.
While the victims were out of town, an unknown suspect entered the victim’s secured backyard after possibly climbing over one of two locked gates. The suspect then shattered a window pane on a sliding glass door near the lock. The suspect then reached in through the hole, unlocked the sliding glass door and opened it. Before the burglar could get the door open far enough to enter, the burglar alarm was activated and the suspect fled.
There were no reported losses.
As a reminder to real estate professionals and those with homes on the market: When holding an open house, be sure to remove valuables or place them in a locked safe that is bolted to concrete.
To keep safety top-of-mind, NBPD has issued a checklist of safety tips, including:
- Lock your windows and doors when you go out, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
- If for some reason you left your door unlocked and return home to find it locked, call 9-1-1 immediately. Burglars often lock unlocked doors to give themselves extra time to escape the home before the resident enters.
- If your home is equipped with an alarm, always set it, even if you’re only leaving for a few minutes. Also, consider a motion sensor in your master bathroom and bedroom, which will activate if someone gets into your home through a glass window or door without opening it.
- Keep your rear and front porch lights on from dusk until dawn and use motion-detector lighting along the sides of your home.
- If your garage door has a remote shut-off button on the wall-mounted control, located in the garage, consider locking the door nightly. This will prevent your garage door from being opened from the inside.
- If you have a safe, make sure it is properly bolted to concrete so it cannot be removed easily.
- Always close and lock your safe and never leave a key or combination in an easy-to-find location. A home-office desk or nightstand are the first places burglars will check.
- When you leave for vacation, call NBPD for a “Vacation Check” at (949) 644-3681 or sign up online at nbpd.org/services/vacationcheck.asp. Also, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to pick up your mail while you’re away.
As always, NBPD urges residents to report any suspicious activity by calling the department at (949) 644-3717. You should add this number to your phone favorites, so you can quickly access it should the need arise.
Stay safe, Newport Beach!