Sheriff’s office on lookout for burglars in valley

Since the beginning of March, the San Lorenzo Valley — particularly Felton, Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek — has been hit by a series of home burglaries.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Ross said deputies know of seven burglaries in Felton and nine in the Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek areas. Most of the homes were unlocked, and the burglaries have been reported as taking place during the day.
“We do have leads we’re following up,” Ross said.
Deputies are looking for a few men in their late teens or early 20s who have been seen in the area acting suspiciously, Ross said.
As part of the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office has analyzed fingerprints from the scene and talked with local pawn shops about belongings that have gone missing.
Items that have been stolen include jewelry, TVs, video game consoles, cameras, DVD players, guitars, electronics and other items of value.
Searches of known parolees have turned up empty so far, but deputies continue to follow leads, Ross said.
“I think our suspects are most likely drug users,” Ross said. “The stuff is often pawned and sold for drugs.”
The Sheriff’s Office asks residents to lock their homes and follow up if their gut instinct tells them something is wrong, Ross said.
“Just report it and let us do an area check,” he said.
He also asks people to label their things with some kind of identifying mark or keep track of serial numbers so that deputies can identify them, if something is found in a burglar’s possession.
The Sheriff’s Office has a vacation watch program for when residents are away. Once an address is signed up, a deputy or citizen patroller will check in from time to time to make sure everything is secure.
For information: www.scsheriff.com.