Burglary

DOWNTOWN — Crime in Burbank dropped 8% in 2009, mirroring a slide across Los Angeles County despite escalating unemployment and a sluggish economy, according to year-end figures released Monday by the Police Department. The number of homicides dropped from two in 2008 to one last year, according to the department’s FBI uniform crime report. Interim Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, attributed declines across the region in part to “hardening the target,” the law enforcement tactic of beefing up security to minimize the risk of an attack or theft.

BURBANK — Property crimes in Burbank rose last year while neighboring cities, such as Los Angeles and Pasadena, saw a decrease in the same category, according to the FBI’s latest batch of crime statistics. Property crimes last year, including larceny, theft, burglary and vehicle theft, jumped from 2,767 in 2007 to 2,941, according to latest figures. At the same time, Burbank’s violent crime decreased from 274 in 2007 to 235 last year. Calls made to Burbank Police Department officials were not returned Tuesday.

The following items were taken from Burbank Police Department reports : 400 block of Florence Street: A residential burglary was reported on Thursday, with losses of about $4,000. 600 block of Whitnall Highway: A car burglary was reported on Wednesday. The perpetrator smashed a window and took a brief case, a book and school work, valued at $25. 1700 block of West Burbank Boulevard: A 22-year-old Burbank man was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of possession of a dangerous weapon — throwing stars.

Mark R. Madler Burbank Police say they have linked more burglaries to the former maintenance man at an apartment complex where a murder victim lived. Following Eriberto Rodriguez's arrest Feb. 17, investigators found that six more residents at an apartment complex in the 1500 block of Scott Road reported items missing from their homes, Burbank Police Lt. David Gabriel said. Rodriguez remains a person of interest to detectives investigating the death of Sharon Anne Santos, a 30-year-old resident of the complex whose body was found Sept.

The following information was taken from police reports: RANCHO DISTRICT 400 block of South Victory Boulevard: A movie production company reported Thursday that $3,160 worth of movie props and other items had been taken during a movie shoot at the Camarillo Ranch House Museum in Camarillo. MEDIA DISTRICT NORTH 1500 block of Glenoaks Boulevard: Juan Fernandez, 37, of no known address, was arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon against a 42-year-old North Hollywood woman in McCambridge Park.

Jackson Bell A Lancaster man faces 27 burglary charges for allegedly breaking into cars downtown to steal about 37 computer laptops this year, police said. Buddy Douglas, 31, pleaded not guilty June 30 to 27 counts of burglary and receiving stolen property estimated at $75,000, authorities said. He is being held on $105,000 bail and is due back Thursday in Burbank Superior Court when a judge is expected to set a date for his preliminary hearing.

Four teenagers from Van Nuys and Panorama City arrested Wednesday night might be responsible for a rash of recent car burglaries, police said. As officers approached a parked car with the lights off and the four inside, the teens drove off but stopped a few blocks later, police said. Inside the car, police said they found ski masks, gloves, flashlights, burglary tools and a car stereo. The one adult and three juveniles were charged with one car burglary that occurred earlier that evening in the 1400 block of Niagara Street, but police said they hope to link them to a string of car stereo thefts in recent weeks.

Ryan Carter Police arrested a man and a boy who they believe are responsible for a rash of recent car burglaries. During an overnight surveillance operation, police arrested Wesley Davis, 22, of Sun Valley and a 16-year-old Burbank boy early Tuesday in the 200 block of North Screenland Drive, Police Sgt. John Dilibert said. The two were seen running out of an apartment complex and driving away. Several patrol units converged on their car and stopped it, Dilibert said.