The SJ Police Department has apparently made quick work of a rising tide of car burglaries that have been occurring across Willow Glen.

Increased reports of thefts from locked and unlocked cars in wide stretches of WG started a few weeks ago on the WGNA Elist. Neighbors from Lennon, Christina, Cherry, Bennet, Kotenberg, and Camino Ricardo, started reporting a series of car burglaries. In addition to the rise in eList conversation, Willow Glen 2.0 created a section inside its Neighborhood Watch forum for tracking trends in thefts and safety concerns.

While most victims admitted their cars had been left unlocked overnight, the crimes still seemed brazen enough to trouble many residents. Some of the cars had been locked, and in most cases, thieves had been stealing small electronic devices like GPS units, MP3 players, iPods, laptops, and cell phones.

Over the weekend, police apparently found a lot of the stolen items and began contacting victims to reunite them with their lost electronics. Tessa Miller was the first to tell of her newly-found fortune:

SJPD was just here. They “happened” upon a house in the vicinity and recovered some goodies. Among them was my brother in law’s ipod and nano(he is smart enough to have his name engraved on them). Empty wallets…also a really nice camcorder that the thieves stole then used to tape themselves, so if you are missing any items please contact them. They are working on getting the belongings back to the owners … cell phone … small gps unit … camcorder … watches …

And according to the officer they will fingerprint on a vehicle (I was told by dispatch that they do not because I have prints on my car from them trying to break in.)

Hey … maybe WGx is turning into a True Crime weblog …

Which of these things is not like the other? Don’t answer that.

But do read Friday’s SJ Mercury News, which should include a story about the “Shotgun Bandits” and their arrest. Although their targets were mostly outside of WG, at least one suspect lived on Malone Road, where he was arrested earlier in April:

Last month, a group of masked robbers went on a dangerous spree, police said, bursting into at least a half dozen businesses armed with a sawed-off shotgun and snatching fistfuls of cash from the registers as employees and customers cowered in fear.

But investigators eventually caught up with the alleged robbers, after a sergeant became suspicious about a clerk at one of the targets - an lingerie and adult novelty store called Cupid’s Corner. …

(more…)

Did you get the phone call?

You know those endless automated phone calls you got back during the run-up to California’s primary election in February. It was like those, but seems to be for a much higher purpose … It came from FindToto.com, and is meant to help reunite a lost dog with her owner:

[Phone Script]: … lost her dog Bella on April 11. Bella is a black and tan Shiba Inu, which looks like miniature husky … small 20-25 pounds, with pointy ears and a curly tail. She is shy and scared, so if you see her please calmly call her and do not chase her.

Bella and her owners were attacked by a pit bull on April 11 in Branham - Thousand Oaks area, and Bella ran away. The dog might have been seen near WG High School over this past weekend, thus the blanketing automatic phone calls to surrounding homes.

A $1000 reward has been offered, and you can call 877-738-8686 with any information.

By the way, if you are the sort who prefers not to be included in such automated phone campaigns, FindToto gives you an opt out option at the end of the recorded message.

After a depressing 2007, the WG Crime Report got off to a potentially horrible start for 2008, when a group of over-zealous revelers caused $6500 worth of damage to an SUV and injured its occupants near the corner of Meridian & Foxworthy:

A San Jose man, his wife and good friend are reeling from a violent clash they had early on New Year’s Day with a group of skateboard-wielding teens they said beat the friend and pummeled their car.

The dozen or so teens scattered as soon as they heard police sirens approaching about 1:30 a.m. and none have been apprehended.

But, keeping with the excellent police work which has quickly solved the other noteworthy crimes across the neighborhood, three arrests have been made in the case.

Initial reports placed damage closer to $20,000 and NBC11 reported there were a dozen assailants. There is no word on additional pending arrests or the actual number of skateboards involved.

Happy Thanksgiving from WGx!

Before you head out for your big “Black Friday” shopping, WGx encourages you to heed the recent warning from the SJPD about watching your purses. Even with the arrest this week of two women for thefts in the Willow Glen area, you should still be vigilant.

The women had been allegedly working in the Willow Glen and Cambrian neighborhoods since September, Sgt. Dean Ackemann said.

One suspect would allegedly distract elderly women with questions and requests for minor assistance while the other suspect reached into the victim’s purse and stole the wallet, Ackemann said.

Police issued a warning earlier this month to shoppers reminding them to be vigilant, not to carry personal identification numbers and Social Security cards and to keep purses closed and nearby while shopping.

Anyone who may have been a victim of a similar theft should contact Detective Jenni Byrd of the San Jose Police Department’s financial crimes unit at (408) 277-4521 and contact their bank and credit card companies to cancel any stolen cards.

The San Jose Police Department has just made it a little easier to keep watch over your neighborhood. The SJ Mercury News reports on a new database engine that searches and maps Crime Reports from SJPD and other participating jurisdictions:

Now, citizens can see the status of a report, such as whether an arrest was made or if an investigation is continuing or was dropped. And, with more detailed mapping, they also can zero in on an area as small as a one-mile radius of their home or school. Icons on the map show where robberies, vehicle thefts, sexual assaults and other crimes are being reported. …

On the site … a column next to the map notes the date, time and “block” location of a crime report, as well as its identifier number. Officers’ written reports are not available online, but residents can go to the police department and seek more information by using the identifier number, [Police Chief Rob] Davis said.

The software also allows residents to receive automatic “alerts” via e-mail when crimes are reported near their homes or schools. The information in those alerts is available for up to 30 days.

Of course, WGx is happy to provide the direct link right to the crime report map for the 95125 Zip Code.

SJPD has also published a Press Release (PDF) and a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Strange and scary news out of Willow Glen this morning … Car fires and vandalism.

Four cars were set on fire (pictures and video from CBS 5), and another two were vandalised early this morning in the southeastern part of Willow Glen. The cars on fire were all parked in driveways on Johnston, Coastland, and Curtner Avenues. The vandalized cars were parked on Coastland.

Fortunately, there were no injuries reported. Anyone with information is asked to call the SJPD Crime Stoppers line at (408) 947-STOP.