| | Published March 4th, 2020
| Warnings to residents to lock car doors go unheeded
| | | By Vera Kochan |  | | Potential thieves check for unlocked doors, seen here in surveillance photo. Photo provided |
The Moraga Police Department has warned residents time and again to lock their cars and store all valuables out of sight, yet the advice continues to go unheeded by many. The most recent string of thefts, taking place over a period of almost two months, has yielded a suspect thanks to clips of video recordings sent to MPD by citizens.
Criminal charges have been filed against Angelina Jaimes, 22, of Concord who according to MPD Chief Jon King is involved in other theft cases in the Lamorinda area.
"Jaimes was arrested on a warrant stemming from Lafayette Police Department charges. We will be seeking charges against her for crimes in Moraga," King stated. "No other arrests have been made." She has been connected to nearly 20 different thefts in Moraga alone, during one of which a garage door opener was used to gain access into a garage. "Jaimes told officers that she regularly goes out looking for unlocked vehicles from which to steal things," King added.
Crimes of opportunity, such as this, come as a result of negligence and are on the rise in Moraga. MPD is compiling January statistics, and King confirmed, "It appears that property crimes have increased over the same period in 2019." If the town is seen as an easy target by thieves, King says it could invite additional crimes in the form of residential burglaries.
Besides making sure to lock cars and homes, remember to hide items such as gym bags, purses, wallets, keys, brief cases, phones or laptops in secure places like a trunk. Visible garage door openers can give thieves not only entry into your garage but your home if also unlocked. Pay attention to any strangers in your neighborhood prowling around cars or homes in the middle of the night.
"All of these crimes are easily prevented by residents locking vehicles and ensuring that valuables are not left unattended in vehicles," King concluded.
If anyone has any information or notices any suspicious activity contact MPD at (925) 888-7055. |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA