Pali Burglaries Increase Since August

Burglaries and other property crimes have increased lately in Pacific Palisades, compelling police and community members to encourage residents to keep their eyes peeled and report suspicious activity.

Home break-ins jumped from three incidents in August to seven in September, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Michael Moore, who is based in West L.A. The total doubled to 14 burglaries in October.

"That is a significant increase," Moore said. "These numbers are what help LAPD to focus resources in the correct areas at the correct time."

Moore and Haldis Toppel, Pacific Palisades Community Council vice chairwoman, urged residents to not hesitate reporting suspicious individuals in the area to LAPD and the private security officers hired by local homeowner groups.

"It is most important that all burglaries and attempts are reported, even if nothing is taken," Toppel wrote in an e-mail to members of the Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association. "It helps the LAPD statistics used for deployment of additional officers, and may help track or identify the burglars and their ... mode of operation."

Moore said "whether it's an attempt or an actual successful burglary doesn't matter, it's that it's happening and that it's reported."

On Nov. 3 a vehicle burglary suspect was arrested in Huntington Palisades as a result of a resident's tip to police and security officers.

"A witness at around 5:05 a.m. looked out the window and saw the suspect near the victim's car, saw that the [dome] light was on, knew that the suspect didn't belong near that car, then saw the suspect walk away from the car," Moore said. "What the witness saw was, 'there's a man in my neighborhood that doesn't belong here, he's standing next to a car that doesn't belong to him because I know who the car belongs to'—which incidentally ... that's a good neighborhood watch where you know which cars your neighbors are driving and can identify them. So just based on that suspicious activity this neighbor felt that was enough to call the police and get them to come ... check out the situation."

Moore added that an initial call from a resident alerts not only LAPD. Private security units in the area also hear the report and respond accordingly to assist in efforts to locate a potential suspect.

Toppel, who is also vice president of the Marquez Knolls homeowner group, advised residents to be very consistent about locking parked vehicles because unlocked cars are a common trend in police reports of theft incidents.

"As far as homes are concerned, make them always look occupied," she said. "Burglars are introverts, and they usually do not go in when there's somebody in the house."

Toppel recommended motion detector lights in the front and rear of a home and subscribing to an alarm service tied to a security patrol company. She also suggested vigilance on keeping all points of entry, including garage door openers, locked and secure.