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Hot prowl burglaries continue while occupants sleep

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By Maureen Robertson

Hot prowl burglaries continue in Ramona, with the most recent in San Diego Country Estates last weekend.

Detective Tom Seiver with the sheriff’s Ramona station warns residents to lock their doors. He asks that anyone with tips or information about the burglaries call him at 760-789-9157 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

A hot prowl burglary is one that occurs when occupants are in the home or building. Those in Ramona occurred between late evening and early morning while residents slept. In some cases, dogs in the home apparently also slept through the crimes.

The most recent reports came from Corte Madre Way and the 16200 block of Arena Drive, said Seiver. Both occurred between late Saturday and early Sunday morning.

“People need to lock their gates all around their property,” said a victim on Arena Drive.

Entry to her home was through an unlocked side gate, an unlocked back gate, and then the back door, which was locked but the lock was not engaged. Medication, her purse and her husband’s briefcase were among items taken. She found the purse and briefcase under a bush outside the home, but not her wallet with cash or cellphone, she said.

“This is pretty brazen,” she said. “They’re coming in people’s homes. They walked right by the bedroom door.”

She’s alerted all of her neighbors and said she wants everyone to know what’s happening.

Someone apparently tried to get in one neighbor’s garage through a side door, but the door was locked, she said, adding that she found cards, including a Social Security card, belonging to another neighbor who wasn’t even aware someone had been in her home. She also found a diabetes test kit but does not know to whom it belongs.

On Corte Madre Way, cash, cigarettes, and some checks were among items taken, said Seiver. Entry was through an unlocked door, and the burglar or burglars also went through cars in front of the home, he said.

Officials do not know if one person or more than one person is committing the crimes.

In another hot prowl burglary, a $400 ring, $400 camera, $75 cellphone, and $15 purse were taken from a home in the 24500 block of Tesoro Way between 11 p.m. May 26 and 4:30 a.m. May 27, according to a sheriff’s report.

In the 1100 block of 11th Street, a $10,000 ring, $1,000 camera, a $1,500 computer, two $1,400 computers, and a $900 camera were among items taken from a home between 11 p.m. May 25 and 8 a.m. May 26 while occupants slept. Also taken were miscellaneous household goods, a wallet, money, military and other identification, credit cards, keys, and audio/video equipment.

Also on May 26, $115 and prescription and nonprescription drugs were are among items stolen in a hot prowl burglary in a home in the 1500 block of H Street about 4 a.m.

One victim commenting on the Sentinel’s website said a person entered the home through a doggy door.

If a burglary is occurring, call 911, said Seiver. If victims discover a burglary after it has occurred, call the sheriff’s Ramona office at 760-789-9157.

Seiver believes more hot prowl burglaries have occurred than are reported.

“I have property that belongs to other people,” he said, but the department hasn’t received a report of a crime.

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