Irvine puts out burglary alert following 34 burglaries within 35 days
IRVINE, Calif. - Residents in Irvine were warned to remain vigilant following a string of robberies in the Orange County city.
Authorities said 34 robberies were reported in the past 35 days. Investigators said most of those were crimes of opportunity in circumstances such as homeowners leaving a window or garage door unlocked.
However, despite the alarming trend, city officials said burglary crime statistics are down. Crime alerts and neighborhood watches are helping keep crime rates down, but police and city leaders want to get the numbers even lower.
"We’re actually looking at lower crime but when we hear about property crime, it’s so deeply personal and it affects all of us and the fact that we’re seeing any type of property crime, it’s always very jarring," said Irvine City Councilmember Tammy Kim.
Kim said three dozen burglaries within five weeks isn’t an unusual number and that’s why the city is putting out an alert that criminals can strike in Irvine too. Officials are reminding residents to keep their doors and windows locked. Other tips include:
- Security film on glass, doors and windows
- Activity alerts on cameras and security systems
- Speak to strangers at your door through camera or from behind the door
- Know your neighbors and look out for each other
City leaders believe the numbers could be even better and don’t want locals to get complacent and not take precautions just because of Irvine’s reputation for being safe.