LB Resident Helps Police Capture Auto Theft Suspect

A Long Beach resident who reported to police that two people were rummaging through his car in the El Dorado Park Estates  resulted in the arrest of an auto burglary suspect and recovery of stolen goods. 

At about 2:20 a.m. on Dec. 15, Long Beach Police Department officers responded to the resident reporting suspicious activity around parked vehicles in the 7800 block of Berner Street,said a police news release Thursday afternoon.

The suspected thieves fled before officers arrived, but in a search of the neighborhood police said suspects were identified.

One suspect, a 15-year-old boy, who tried to hide behind a tree was captured by police, who said the teen dropped a backpack allegedly full of stolen goods. 
Detectives will attempt to locate and return the goods to the owners.
The second burglary suspect has not been found.

As police investigated further, they discovered four unlocked vehicles had been entered and valuables removed.

Anyone with information regarding these thefts is encouraged to contact Detective David Rivas of the Juvenile Investigations Section at (562) 570-1433 or (562) 570-1425.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES), or visit http://lacrimestoppers.org/.

Police urged residents to be cautious about leaving items in vehicles. Commonly stolen items: purses, wallets, cell phones, MP3 players, laptops and GPS devices. Surprisingly often, these items are left in plain view, police said.

"The Long Beach Police Department would like to remind residents of the following safety tips:

-    Park in well-lighted areas when able
-    If you have a garage, use it – keep it closed and locked
-    Activate your alarm system or consider installing one
-    Secure your vehicle before leaving it – lock the doors and close the windows
-    Keep all packages, boxes, bags, and valuables locked in the trunk, or take them with you
-    If you must leave valuables in the trunk, place them there before you arrive at your destination
-    If the trunk can be opened without a key from inside of your car, lock or disable this feature
-    Do not leave any connector cables (GPS, phone, MP3) or docking stations in plain sight as it may appear that you have electronics inside
-    Once home, unload your valuables immediately and do not store them in your car
-    Always report suspicious persons or activity immediately by calling Long Beach Police Dispatch at 9-1-1 or (562) 435-6711."