San Bruno Police Offer Safety Tips After Spike in Residential Burglaries

Following a recent spate of residential burglaries in San Bruno, police are calling for residents to report any suspicious activity to the Police Department.

The crimes are not specific to one neighborhood and have occurred at homes in different areas of the city. In fact, within six hours on Jan. 14, four residential burglaries occurred in the city of San Bruno.

Investigators are continuing to work on apprehending those responsible for these crimes, and have partnered with investigators in other jurisdictions in San Mateo County that have also experienced a recent increase in these crimes. 

The San Bruno Police Department is asking for the public’s help in reporting any suspicious activity to police.

Oftentimes, the suspects will knock on the door to see if anyone is home. If there is no answer at the door, the suspects will check the perimeter of the victim’s home for unlocked doors or windows, or locate a door or window out of sight from the street to force entry into the home. Usually, there will be an additional suspect in a car near the home. 

If someone does answer the door, the individual will come up with a ruse to explain their presence and then leave. They may pose as service people, sales people, ask for directions, or claim they are looking for a friend and have the wrong address.

Police are asking residents to call 9-1-1 if they witness this type of activity or see any other type of suspicious activity occur in their neighborhood. Residents are also asked to write detailed descriptions on any suspicious individuals and associated cars and provide this information to police. 

SAFETY TIPS:

• Suspects generally choose unoccupied homes to burglarize. If someone you don’t know knocks on your door, answer through the door without opening it. 
• Let the person know you are at home and ask what they want. Report any suspicious activity to the police via 9-1-1.
• Lock all of your doors and windows when you leave your residence, even if you are gone for a short time.
• All types of security measures help. A dog, alarm systems, surveillance cameras, and lighting add one more layer of security to deter burglars.
• Engrave an identifying mark on valuable items that do not have a serial number to identify at a later date.
• Take close-up photographs of jewelry and other valuable items.
• Prepare a personal property inventory of valuable items, including serial numbers. 

• Attempt to gain a description of the person(s) and vehicle involved, including of these criminals. Alert neighbors are responsible for the majority of arrests made in these types of incidents.
• If you see suspicious persons, crimes in progress, or anything that appears to be out of the norm for your neighborhood, contact your police department via 9-1-1.
• Attempt to gain a description of the person(s) and vehicle involved, including the color, year, make, model, and license plate number.

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