Residential Burglary Crime Spree Reported in Los Gatos Mountains

—Written by Ryan Craighead

More than 200 people who live in the Los Gatos/Santa Cruz Mountains packed a public safety meeting tonight in the Redwood Estates Pavilion to report a residential burglary crime spree in their normally tranquil community.

Since the first Sept. 27 violent burglary on Stagecoach Road reported by Los Gatos Patch, eight additional break-ins have taken place, authorities said.

One of the burglary victims utilized a phone-locator app which led investigators to a cash-for-gold shop in Oakland.

When a stolen laptop was turned on, it took a photograph of the suspect which the police used to question the store owner and discover his identity, according to sheriff's deputies.

The investigation included a search of the suspect’s home in San Francisco, giving police DNA and fingerprints.

Santa Clara County sheriff's Sgt. Marc Lehmann said two suspects, whose DNA and fingerprints match the results of the investigation, are currently in custody in connection with a burglary in the Morgan Hill area.

The suspects were apprehended after a pursuit ended in San Jose on Oct. 15.“However, this doesn’t mean you should let your guard down,” Lehmann told the crowd.

The whereabouts of a third suspect are still unknown and four burglaries have occurred in the area since the Oct. 15 arrests.

Santa Clara County sheriff's Det. Ryan Schaefers assisted Lehmann in discussing tips for the community to protect itself.

Schaefers urged the residents to make their house address as visible as possible and lock windows and doors.

Lehmann and Schaefers spent more than 45 minutes going into detail about precautionary techniques, including knowing your neighborhood, reporting suspicious activity and checking financials frequently to protect against identity theft as well as burglary.

“I’m not telling you to be crazy, just be hyper-vigilant,” Lehmann said.

The phone number for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's West Valley substation is 408-299-2311.

The number to call for emergencies is 911.

Louis and Pat Schuesler, residents of the Los Gatos Mountains since 1959, take precautions in the form of deadbolts on all of the doors in their home.

“We hope to deter them,” Pat said, citing a break-in 30 years ago as the inspiration for the increase in security.

Not all residents share the same enthusiasm for vigilance, however. Shaw Cichowski, 27, is a clerk at the Redwood Estates store and is not overly concerned with the recent burglaries.

“They’re not home invasions, just burglaries,” Cichowski said. “My home is pretty empty.”

Mona Raby, office manager at the Redwood Estates pavilion, was impressed with both the turnout and the speed at which the word about the crime spree spread throughout the community.

“I wanted to have the meeting now, while it’s [the burglaries] fresh in everybody’s minds,” Raby said.

More information is available by emailing Raby at resaservice@comcast.net. 

ALSO ON LOS GATOS PATCH:

• Dogs Beaten During Stagecoach Road Burglary in Los Gatos Mountains
• Another Burglary Reported in Los Gatos Mountains
• Public Safety Meeting at Los Gatos Redwood Estates Following Burglaries