First published in the April 14 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
There was a spike in residential burglaries in La Cañada Flintridge during March, and most of the victims shared one thing in common: They did not have a home-security system.
Robert Hahnlein, acting captain of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station, told the Outlook Valley Sun Tuesday that nine LCF homes were burglarized last month, only two shy of the number of cases in January and February combined.
“We’ve had some recent burglaries around the La Cañada area and it seems like when a burglary happens, we find out when we get there that the owner doesn’t have motion-sensor lights or cameras,” Hahnlein said. “And, by the time they get burglarized, they want to get them after the fact.”
Though the number of residential burglaries, so far, in 2022 is lower when compared to previous years, Hahnlein said that 20 incidents in the first three months is still a concern and urged residents to invest in their home’s security by purchasing locks and smart doorbell cameras that detect motion when people approach the property and notify homeowners on their phone, tablet or computer.
Some of them even come packaged with motion-sensor lights and additional cameras to place around the home.
He also suggested that residents walk around their property and inside their home to determine what areas may be more easily accessible for burglars and then make them less inviting for them.
“Visibility is a vulnerability for a burglar if they can be seen from the street. They tend to hide behind fences and shrubbery and check doors to see if they’re locked and look for cameras and motion sensors,” Hahnlein said.
“Everyone can afford a [smart] doorbell at the very least, and those can even allow you to talk through the camera to scare burglars off. … I just want to put some barriers to burglaries out there,” he added.
One of the reported incidents happened while the resident was home alone. She heard something and confronted the burglar, who then ran off.
Hahnlein said he was relieved to hear the victim was not harmed, but strongly recommended that homeowners not engage the perpetrator.
“I don’t want people to necessarily do that,” he said. “If [residents] come home and see the door ajar and think a burglar is in there, I don’t want them to go in there. I’d rather they call us and we’ll go in and make sure it’s safe.”
Aside from the fact that LCF is one of the most affluent cities in Los Angeles County, Hahnlein believes the city’s proximity to freeways makes it a target for criminals and that the homes most secluded from main streets are “very vulnerable.”
“[Those homes] would have to take extra precautions and maybe even have motion-sensor lights outside the front gate and extra cameras,” Hahnlein said. “I know there are a lot of big homes in La Cañada and that’s the allure of the city. I just want everybody to feel secure in their homes.”
Hahnlein hopes the additional patrol units dispatched by the station will give residents a better sense of security.
“We are putting extra patrol on the street and trying to be more visible,” he said. “The extra resources help combat and gather license plates, along with the Flock cameras.”
