Police Tell Rossmoor Residents: Be More Vigilant

To combat a spike in burglaries in Rossmoor, Orange County sheriff’s officials asked residents Wednesday to do their part in preventing crime.

More than 200 residents were in attendance for a presentation by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as concerns rise about the safety of residents, homes and vehicles in the community. After a string of robberies stretching back to April, Rossmoor residents are concerned, and they showed up in full force Wednesday in search of answers.

The meeting, held at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, was scheduled for early October, but after two “disturbing burglaries,” Investigator David Purser decided to move up the meeting.

“We want to get the word out,” he said. “We want the residents of Rossmoor to have the most information, and we want to have an open line of communication. The bottom line is we need their help.”

Lt. Robert Wren said the department is doing everything it can to put more manpower on the streets but said there aren’t 500 patrol cars, and without the community's help, it will be hard to prevent all crime.

The crime rate in Rossmoor is low, the lowest in the area. In August, there were 18 total incidents: four residential burglaries, two vehicle burglaries, six vehicle thefts, two stolen vehicles (one recovered), and four petty thefts. 

There have been 110 total incidents since 2010—and crime has decreased 10 percent. 

“This is not a crazy crime wave; Rossmoor residents just have high standards,” Wren told the audience, which laughed. “But it is crime, and we want to address it and prevent it, which is why we are here tonight.”

Purser said the incidents generally occur between Thursday and Saturday, and they are taking place in the center and west side of town. 

“These are crimes of opportunity,” he said. “They are happening late at night, or during the day when people are gone for work.”

And the burglars have had no shortage of opportunities. In the last two nights, officers counted 11 open garage doors, said Wren.

“A lot of the thefts that are being reported are open garage doors and unlocked doors,” he said. “It is really difficult to stop someone from stealing something from an open garage door or open car.”

Wren and Purser agreed that the best way to defend against these types of crimes is to lock doors, shut windows and be aware of the people who come and go in the neighborhood.

“Most of these are happenstance crimes. There is no logic or reasoning. The criminals see an open window or door and take advantage,” Wren said. “We haven’t had any crimes of violence, and we want to keep it that way. Help us, but don’t put yourself in harm's way or chase anyone. Do not confront someone; get on the phone and get us there.”

Though sheriff’s officials couldn’t provide a number, they said some of the cases have been solved. But Purser said that shows like “CSI don’t do us any favors.”

“The cases we are solving are through DNA,” he said. “But this takes a long time; it can take six to nine months to get a DNA sample back. It is not like it is on television. People want results, and so do we, but we need the community’s help.”

“We will continue to do everything we can to prevent crime and to catch criminals,” added Wren. “But we need your help — please lock up your homes and vehicles, and if you see something suspicious, call us.”

Warning

Investigators also alerted residents to a rampant criminal trend: thefts of third-row seats from Cadillac Escalades and GMC Yukons have dramatically risen through the county. A thief will enter the vehicle with a “shaved key” that disables the alarm and opens the car door. The thief is able to get in and out of the car in 60 to 90 seconds, most under a minute.

The Sheriff’s Department recommends:

• Parking in the garage if available.
• Marking the seat in some way so if the criminal is caught or the seat is returned, it can be traced back.
• Removing the seat if it is not being used.

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