Home burglaries on the rise again

Like 2012, 2013 is getting under way with a rash of residential burglaries being reported in the city of Davis, police say.

Between Dec. 31 and Wednesday, the Davis Police Department received eight reports of home break-ins — three of which were interrupted by residents who were at home at the time, Lt. Glenn Glasgow said. Property such as wallets, jewelry and electronics have been stolen.

Of the burglaries — which have occurred in East, West and South Davis — the suspect was able to gain access to six of the homes through open or unlocked doors or windows, Glasgow said. One resident reported that a window screen was removed but no entry made into the home, and the entry method for the eighth burglary was unknown.

During one of the incidents, a resident was able to catch a glimpse of the suspect, who apparently rang the doorbell of the Villaverde Lane home at about 10 p.m. Monday.

“After the resident was alerted by his dogs, he observed a male subject riding a bicycle away from the side of his house and discovered a window screen had been removed from a window,” Glasgow said in a news release.

The resident described the would-be burglar as a white or Latino male in his mid-20s, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and riding a 10-speed bike.

Anyone with information about these incidents is urged to contact the Davis Police Department at 530-747-5400.

Meanwhile, Glasgow offered the following crime-prevention tips for dealing with this crime trend:

* Always lock your doors and windows, especially when away from your home and while sleeping.

* Trim back trees and shrubbery that may obstruct your windows.

* If feasible, place locks on your exterior gates to prevent easy access to your backyard.

* Make sure all your door and window locks are in working order. Activate your home alarm.

* If your doorbell rings, acknowledge the person who is outside and only open the door if you feel safe.

* If your neighborhood has not already done so, form a Neighborhood Watch group.

Davis police recorded more than 50 residential break-ins during the first few months of 2012 before arresting a suspect, 37-year-old Kyle Frank of Placerville, who has since been charged with several of the crimes. His case is still pending in Yolo Superior Court.

— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter @laurenkeene