Burglaries Continue to Rise in Crescenta Valley in 2013

This story was written by Natalie Rivera. 

Burglaries and thefts have increased since last year in the Crescenta Valley, according to Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Jorge Valdivia. 

There were five burglaries reported in the month of May and 34 in this year alone, a sharp rise from last year's number of burglaries, which was at 16 by this point in the year, Valdivia told the Crescenta Valley Town Council on Thursday.

According Valdivia, thefts have also risen in the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station patrol area from 59 last year to 78 this year.

“Every time I’m here, its property crime,” said Valdivia. “In April, there were 15 burglaries and in February we had 10, those numbers were really high, so far this month we’ve had two that occurred in June.”

On the same night Valdivia was at the council meeting, two homes a block apart in La Crescenta were broken into, Patch reported. In May, Capt. Bill Song spoke before the council and also reported about the increase in reported burglaries.  

Patch reported on April 11 that the LASD believed a burglary team had targeted the Crescenta Valley because several recent break-ins have followed a similar pattern. 

Valdivia said that there is an extra unit currently working in the Crescenta Valley that has been making improvements regarding crime in the community.

“Basically, an extra unit is out there driving around, looking for suspicious activity that they can follow up with our detectives later in the day,” said Valdivia. “Honestly it seems to be working; our numbers have gone dramatically down in La Crescenta this month.”

Valdivia stressed the importance of homeowners using their alarm systems.

“We had a couple of burglaries, they were attempted and the alarm went off and they actually left,” Valdivia said. “There were some damage to the doors in two of the locations though.”

Valdivia also went on to say that students at Crescenta Valley High School should be cautious because of the rise of locker and backpack thefts.

“I just have to stress the fact that I was talking to one of our own town council members that asked what we’re doing wrong,” said Valdivia. “Sometimes were doing all the right thing and it still happens.”