String Of Home Burglaries In Newport Coast Communities

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — At least three home burglaries in Newport Coast communities occurred within the last two weeks, the Newport Police Department reported Wednesday. The string of burglaries took place in the Pelican Crest II Community, the Tesoro Community and the Ocean Heights Community.

Of the three burglaries, two were attempted break-ins and one was successful, authorities said. According to the Newport Beach Police Department, the residential burglary in the Pelican Crest II Community occurred between Nov. 16 and Nov. 19 while the house was empty. An unknown suspect shattered a glass door on the side of house, before ransacking all the bedrooms and fleeing the scene.

While two of the burglaries were unsuccessful attempts, authorities reported that unknown suspects left damage on the outside of each house.

Authorities encouraged residents to report suspicious activity in their neighborhoods when they see it — especially when neighbors are on vacation, have gone out for the evening, or if their home is for sale.

The Newport Beach Police Department released a list of home security tips so residents are better able to protect their homes in the event of a break-in.

• Always lock doors and windows when you go out, if even for only a few minutes.
• Use timers on indoor lamps to give the appearance that you are home. If you're going out for the evening, leave a television or a radio on at home.
• If your home is equipped with an alarm, always activate it even if you're only going out for a short walk.
  • Consider adding a motion sensor in your master bedroom or bathroom, which will activate the alarm if someone comes in through a glass window or door without opening it.
• Always keep front and rear porch lights on from dusk to dawn and use motion detector lighting along the sides of your home or areas with little foot traffic.
• Make sure your utility box is secured with a padlock.
• Adjust window coverings for privacy while maintaining good visibility outside.
• Assess whether or not a window can be easily accessed from a tree, balcony, roof, wall, or with patio furniture. Adjust your security plan accordingly.
• If your garage door has a remote shutoff button on the wall-mounted control, located in the garage, consider locking the door nightly. This will prevent your garage door from being opened remotely.
• If you have a safe, make sure that it is properly bolted to concrete so that it cannot be easily removed.
• If you return home and find your pedestrian door that leads into your home locked, and you are certain that you left it unlocked, do not go inside. Call 9-1-1. Burglars often lock this door to slow down a victim, allowing the burglar extra time to get out of the home before the resident enters.