Crime & Safety

Rash of Car Burglaries in Laguna Beach

Eight incidents this past Tuesday night and Wednesday morning resulted in stolen items, smashed windows.

News release from the Laguna Beach Police Department:

During this past week, the Police Department has noted a dramatic increase in the number of car burglaries and thefts from unlocked vehicles. All residents are being warned to lock their vehicles and be on the lookout for suspicious activity in the early morning hours between midnight and 6 a.m.

The following incidents all took place during the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 29 (Tuesday night):

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  • The driver’s side window of a parked Porsche Cayenne on Via Majorca Street was smashed so that the suspect could steal an iPhone 4. 
  • Two sets of golf clubs, a laptop and a backpack were stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked near Glenneyre and Alta Vista.
  • Another window smash car burglary occurred in front of a home inside the gated Smithcliffs community.  This time a wallet was stolen from the vehicle.
  • Two vehicles parked in an underground structure at 2037 South Coast Highway had their windows smashed.  The burglars took a laptop computer out of one of the vehicles.
  • Suspects entered an unlocked vehicle parked in a garage inside the gated Lagunita community and stole a camera valued at $2,500.
  • Someone used a rock to smash the front window of at 332 Forest Avenue and stole approximately $10,000 worth of Native American jewelry.
  • Unknown suspects smashed the window of a car parked in an underground parking garage at 330 Cliff Drive.  Items worth $1,000 were stolen from the vehicle. 
  • A purse was stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in the 200 block of Ruby Street.

Detectives are working on trying to identify the suspects, but need the public’s assistance. If you have information about the thefts, you are encouraged to contact Detective Matt Meadows at 949-497-0758 or via email at mmeadows@lagunabeachcity.net.

Anyone else who sees individuals acting suspicious during these early morning hours are urged to call the police at 9-1-1. The suspects are believed to be dressed in dark clothing and carrying flashlights. They are using an unknown type of vehicle to store their stolen items and travel around Laguna Beach.

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For further information, please contact Lt. Jason Kravetz at 949-497-0307, or via email at jkravetz@lagunabeachcity.net.


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