Property Crimes Soar, Stealing Residents' Peace of Mind

The number of property crimes--home burglaries, car burglaries, packages stolen from doorsteps--in the Tri-Valley has soared over the past year, frustrating residents and prompting police departments to urge everyone to “call early and often” if something seems amiss.

On Tuesday, Amelia McCoy wrote on the Danville Police Facebook page, “I don’t feel safe in my home anymore despite having two dogs and an alarm system. A mile away, a burglar broke through a woman’s front door (which had glass) despite her having an alarm. Luckily the alarm sounded and scared him away.”

In an interview Monday on this topic, Lt. Allan Shields of Danville P.D. told Patch that vigilant residents are the best defense against criminals. He urged people to call early and often, following the “if you see something – say something” approach to crime fighting. He said that tips from the public often result in crimes prevented or solved.

In Pleasanton, police have shared surveillance video, when it’s available, in an attempt to solve property crimes. Parking lots have been especially hard hit, with multiple vehicles being burglarized within minutes.

• Also See:
• Watch Pleasanton Car Burglary Suspect Caught on Camera
• Tri-Valley Man One of Two Men Arrested on Suspicion of Burglary

The problem with sharing video is that frequently criminals come into the Tri-Valley to commit crimes from elsewhere in the Bay Area, the Central Valley and sometimes even farther away.

A vehicle theft and identity theft case in San Ramon was recently solved, according to police. In addition to cracking the San Ramon case, the Pittsburg resident is also accused of crimes in Walnut Creek and South San Francisco.

• Also See: Woman Arrested in Connection with East Bay Crime Spree

The Livermore Police Department has shared shopping and holiday safety tips on its Facebook page, and Dublin is also urging awareness.

• Also See: Dublin Police Offer Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Back in Danville, the police department assured Amelia McCoy that it’s doing all it can to combat crime, including hiring “another crime prevention officer who is assigned to our detective unit and has been tasked with reducing the influx of property crimes. We are also putting forward a proposal to the Town Council in regard to a license plate recognition camera program...We are also using crime analysis data in regard to the latest series of home burglaries and are deploying extra officers in the areas during the most likely time periods.”

Regardless of where you live, register home and business surveillance cameras with the police department so investigators can contact you quickly if a crime has been reported nearby.

And type your home address into the Crime Reports website to see burglaries, vehicle thefts, registered sex offenders and more near your home. You may find the results eye opening.

--Image via Shutterstock