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Danville police reported five break-ins and one failed burglary attempt over the New Year’s weekend to start 2016, coming off 2015 when the town experienced an uptick in property crimes.
The six incidents took place at various locations across town, Danville police chief Steve Simpkins said Monday. He did not specify the neighborhoods affected or the items taken during the break-ins.
The police chief warned residents to be on the lookout for “door-kick” burglaries like some that occurred last weekend, where culprits go up to homes and knock on the door.
If a resident answers, the prospective burglars ask for something innocuous such as directions, but if no one is home, they kick in the door and quickly grab small valuables that can be easily transported, Simpkins said.
Understanding how home burglaries happen can help residents determine when to call police, he added.
“It is increasingly important for residents to keep their eyes open in their neighborhoods. Work together, watch out for one another, and if you see something that seems out of place, contact us immediately,” Simpkins said.
“We have had residents tell us they were hesitant to call because they weren’t sure whether they were seeing something criminal,” the police chief added. “We would rather you call. If you see something, say something. We would rather get the call and check it out than take the chance of letting the bad guys get away.”
Urging residents to report suspicious behavior is among several strategies the police department is using to increase their efforts to curtail the uptick in property crimes seen in 2015, according to Simpkins.
“This level of property crime will not be tolerated,” he said. “We will be doing everything we can to catch these criminals and bring this situation to an end.”
The department has added patrols during peak periods for crimes, and some officers have been temporarily reassigned to work solely on property crimes, Simpkins said.
Danville police are also exploring hi-tech solutions such as license plate recognition cameras, he added.
Residents can partner with police in their home protection by registering their home camera systems with the department, Simpkins said, noting that the failed break-in attempt last weekend was foiled by a homeowner’s alarm system.
The police chief also said that residents can form neighborhood watch groups, and when going out of town, residents can request that police conduct vacation home checks.
For more information on crime prevention tips, visit the department website.
Hmm.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Danville Police vehical patrolling neighborhoods. That would be a great site. Not where I live in Danville, anyways. Where there have been numerous break ins in the last year. I do see them sitting at stop signs giving tickets, however. But patrolling, no. Sorry but that’s the perception, largely, you have in our community.
And sometimes perception is reality.
Follow-up to David: Sorry if your neighborhood has not been patrolled. Our area has. Our neighborhood has also followed the suggestion of cooperating to help watch the neighborhood. That helps significantly with peace of mind; fortunately, we don’t know if that has helped.
My neighborhood rarely has a squad car around. I’m not going to say where cause the criminals read this too. I think people need to be aware of who is in the area and secure their properties as best they can. Dogs and burglar alarms are great deterrents. Of course, I wouldn’t open my door to someone I don’t know and if you are away have a neighbor check in daily and pick up your mail/paper.
Thanks for your comment Dick.
I have no doubt the PD cares about our community and are doing everything they can to protect us. Hopefully they can stop or slow down this influx of crime in our neighborhoods. Scary stuff.
Peace.
In our neighborhood we’ve had incidents and suspicious cars over the years. As a watchful citizen you have to pick up the phone and call the PD, instead of waiting for them to cruise by. If you request a patrol car to be on the watch, at least in our neighborhood, they send one out a few times. The Danville PD is woefully short of patrol cars and they can’t be everywhere at once. My tip: Be proactive, aware of things, and take the step, don’t wait for it to happen.
My recommendation to the Danville PD (and I am pretty sure they are already doing this) is to concentrate patrols on the neighborhoods that are closest to the I-680 exit and entrance ramps. That doesn’t mean ignoring other areas totally, but most of the robberies and burglaries tend to be located near freeway exits. The crooks like the fast off/on convenience, for their getaway…..
Actually CR, while I agree with what your sentiments, I talked with a Danville officer Saturday. One of the recent problem areas is Greenbrook Drive, from Camino Ramon (which, going both directions, could also be classified as a gat-away streer I suppose) to Paraiso and El Cap. And it’s about halfway in between Crow and Sycamore, not really close to any on-ramps.
I think a lot of it has to do with burglars discovering areas where the occupants are all at work during the day. Or in this case, maybe a lot of folks on Christmas trips.
Aargh…. sorry for the typos – wifey bought me a new keyboard for Christmas and I am still breaking it in!
I wanted to voice my concern as a registered voter, a parent and concerned citizen of San Ramon regarding the San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board’s (SRVUSD) failure to communicate, in a manner which would indicate not only due diligence and transparency, but also an honest, good faith effort to communicate such a controversial and hot button topic such as the recent approval on January 12, 2016 by the Board to install a cell tower on the school grounds at Cal High. Based on discussion with other parents, I am finding that many parents with students at Cal High were unaware that this process was even taking place! Parents of incoming 9th grade students had zero knowledge. And if one goes to the SRVUSD office to share their concern they will be told essentially that it’s too late, it’s a done deal, the tower is going to be installed. Also, in the news article by Jeremy Walsh dated January 14, 2016, he writes, ‘No citizens attended the meeting to discuss the Cal High project.’ Didn’t you, the SRVUSD Board, at any time think it odd that there were no parents concerned enough to voice an opinion about an issue which has met stiff resistance by parents and concerned citizens in other Districts in the region? One could assume the silence equates to acceptance of the Board’s action and approval OR may give an observer with a more critical eye the impression that the lack of response is due more to the Board’s failure to communicate in an effective manner which would invite it’s constituency to be part of the process, especially regarding a decision which could potentially affect the health of the students and staff conducting school under this new cell tower. The SRVUSD Board should do the right thing and revisit to allow parents and concerned citizens, whether it be 1 or 1,000, whether for or against, an opportunity to voice their opinion about Board approval to allow GTE Mobilenet d/b/a Verizon to install a cell tower on school grounds at Cal High. Are other school sites within our District next?This is an EPIC FAIL by the SRVUSD Board. It is your dedicated teachers, principals and admin staff at your school sites that make this District shine. Some would argue that their success blinds us to business happening behind the scenes at the Distrct level. This is your opportunity to do the right thing – to regain the trust and confidence of us voters who put you there. Don’t dismiss concerns regarding the safety of your students and staff for the sake of business and expediency. You owe it to your constituents. You owe it to the parents. You owe it to the students and you owe it to the dedicated teachers and admin staff at Cal High. Do the right thing.