LA Neighborhoods Stalked by Knock-Knock Burglars

The FBI informs us that residential crime continues to increase in some areas of the country, even as other types of crime are on the wane. Thankfully, we’re learning more all the time about how burglars operate: what they steal, how they gain entry, and even how they think. Using this knowledge we can all work together to bring down residential crime rates, which today show that a burglary happens roughly every 14 seconds in the US. Today’s post addresses an increasingly common burglar tactic: knocking on doors to see if anyone is home, then breaking in. And this happens in all kinds of neighborhoods, as reported in a recent news report from Los Angeles, California.

At least two so-called knock-knock burglaries happened in West Los Angeles this week, marking a rising trend of home invasions in the upscale area, police said. Police say the would-be burglars knock on the door and if no one answers, they assume – not always correctly – that no one is home. Then they look for an open window or other way in.

Details of the Thefts

On Tuesday, a knock-knock burglary occurred on Manning Avenue in West LA, where two men entered a ground-floor apartment and made off with a flat screen TV. Later that day, police suspect the same pair entered a single-family home in lower Cheviot Hills near Overland. A woman was home and the men ran off, police said.

Disturbing Upward Trend

Between July 29 and Aug. 25, there were 61 burglaries in West Los Angeles, according to LAPD. There were 89 burglaries in the area between Aug. 26 and Sept. 22. That’s a 46 percent increase. The problem has become so rampant the LAPD created a knock-knock burglary task force, which has made some 70 arrests so far.

Wow – a knock-knock burglary task force? That really says something about how serious this trend may be.

Homeowner Assaulted

In surveillance footage captured at a Beverly Hills home, four men can be seen clambering over a wall and into the yard. Police believe they are one of the crews targeting homes in the area. A similar incident happened at a large home in Brentwood on Sunset Boulevard. One of the men in that incident was captured on surveillance camera wearing the same white shorts and t-shirt as that of a man in the Beverly Hills video. When a man answered the door at the Brentwood home, one of the would-be burglars punched him, knocking him to the ground.

What You Can Do

So, what about a burglar alarm? It’s still hard to understand why only one in five US homes has a monitored home security system – especially when today’s technology allows these systems to do so much more. For instance, with a FrontPoint wireless system you can have safer cellular monitoring, remote arm/disarm, text and email notifications on events in the home, video services, free mobile apps, and even home automation, for controlling lights, locks and thermostats. In fact, there are so many reasons why these kinds of advanced systems make sense that companies like Comcast, Cox, Verizon, and AT&T have gotten into the game – although with less reliable technology. And whether they can deliver the peace of mind that people want is another question, but clearly they see a growing market for these services.

It’s logical to do everything you can so your home is not a target, even to the random intruder. You can start with installing a monitored alarm system. Your peace of mind is worth a lot. And while you’re shopping, make sure you check out FrontPoint – the leader in wireless home security, and the #1 ranked alarm company in the US. Don’t worry about who might be knocking on your door when you’re not home!