The Seal Beach Police Department will hold a neighborhood meeting Thursday night, April 5, to discuss the burglaries that have taken place in the Hill and Cove areas since last fall.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the McGaugh School Auditorium.
If you have specific questions you want answered at the meeting, email Sgt. Steve Bowles at SBowles@sealbeachca.gov.
The meeting is being held in response to burglaries and thefts from cars that have increased in the Hill and Cove neighborhoods since September 2011.
Some Seal Beach residents have confused burglaries with robberies. There is a significant legal difference between the two crimes, so it’s worth reviewing.
A burglary occurs when someone breaks into a building or locked vehicle and steals your property. A robbery occurs when a criminal uses violence or the threat of violence to make you hand over your property.
The SBPD is encouraging residents to join the new Neighbor for Neighbor (or N4) program that combines the traditional Neighborhood Watch with emergency preparedness.
To join N4N, contact Emergency Services Coordinator Todd DeVoe at (562) 799-4100, extension 1145 or at N4N@sealbeachca.gov.
Burglaries and thefts
While the burglaries and thefts began increasing in September, the Seal Beach Police press release announcing the meeting began with October 2011 crimes and ended with late March crimes. Since then there have been 13 burglaries reported in the Hill and Cove areas, as well as two thefts of property from someone’s front porch.
There have also been 11 petty thefts from vehicles and three vehicle burglaries.
Bowles said the crimes all took place from 10 a.m. to noon, and from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
