Burglaries in Rossmoor Trigger Town Hall on Crime

Sheriff’s officials will hold a community meeting in Rossmoor on Wednesday to address a string of robberies that stretch back to the spring.

“Last week, there was a lady taking a shower. Her kids were in bed, and she heard a commotion. So she came out to see a man’s leg coming into the living room as he was breaking in,” said Rossmoor resident Rebecca Lara.

Another incident happened next door, Lara said: "My neighbor went to run a quick errand, and came home to find two men in her house. It’s gotten so bad anymore, it feels like a different community.”

As concern about the burglaries spread, people have been buying security systems and surveillance cameras, and they stopped sleeping with the windows open despite the warm summer weather, added Lara.

Wednesday’s meeting will cover recent crime analysis data, crime trends and information regarding possible suspects and vehicles to be aware of, said Orange county Sheriff’s Department Investigator David Purser in an email to Rossmoor residents. “On behalf of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, I would like to have as many residents of Rossmoor attend this meeting as possible,” he wrote.

The trend began with five burglaries in April and three in May. Investigators held a community meeting at the time to warn residents. The burglaries briefly declined in June until 15 Rossmoor cars were burglarized in one night. Since then, a series of home break-ins have put residents back on edge.

Wednesday’s meeting is at 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, 11600 Los Alamitos Blvd.