Davis police are investigating two weekend residential burglaries in which the suspects kicked in the front doors and stole property while the occupants were out of town.
Lt. Tom Waltz reported Tuesday that the homes — on Audubon Circle in Wildhorse and Curlew Street in Northstar — were targeted between Friday night and Monday. Once they gained entry, the suspect or suspects ransacked the homes and stole items such as cash and jewelry.
In one case, a concerned neighbor alerted police to the crime after seeing the front door standing ajar, Waltz said.
No suspects had been identified as of Tuesday evening, but Waltz said both cases remain under investigation. Anyone with information, or who may have noticed any suspicious activity in the neighborhoods over the weekend, is urged to call the Davis Police Department at 530-747-5400.
Waltz said there are several protective measures residents should take when leaving their homes for an extended period of time.
He suggested alerting neighbors of plans to be away and asking them to keep an eye out for unusual activity. Newspaper and mail delivery should be suspended so those items don’t pile up on a front porch “and make it appear that you’re not there.”
Waltz also recommended keeping window curtains or shades open and to install timers on both interior and exterior lights — “anything that makes the house looked lived in, because burglars tend to case neighborhoods and look for indications that houses are vacant.”
Inside the home, residents should lock up valuables, particularly smaller items such as jewelry, currency and laptops that can be easily carried away, Waltz said.
For more crime-prevention tips, or for information about the Davis Police Department’s vacation house check program, visit cityofdavis.org/city-hall/police-department/crime-prevention.