String of burglaries riles Balboa Peninsula

Police have been unable to stop nearly 40 residential burglaries on the Balboa Peninsula since the first of the year, and residents with unlocked doors and windows continue to be the victims.

In the latest “Crime Alert” distributed by the Newport Beach Police Department, authorities said since June they have seen 17 more burglaries on the peninsula where laptops or other expensive items were stolen.

More than a dozen laptops were stolen from June 6 to Aug. 28 in homes on the peninsula; most of the time the burglar got in through unlocked doors, sliding glass doors or open windows.

Like an earlier crime report stated, some of these burglaries take place while the residents are home sleeping.

The burglaries occurred from as early as 1:30 a.m. to as late as 9 p.m.

Including the burglaries police informed residents about in June, 38 homes have been burglarized on the Peninsula, with laptops making up the majority of stolen property.

In one Aug. 23 incident, police did get a description of a suspect.

Police describe him as a 25-year-old male Latino, 5-foot-10 of average weight with brown eyes and short, black hair or a shaved head.

He was clean shaven and wearing a faded blue, short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts.

Police urge everyone to lock their doors and windows when going to be bed or leaving their home, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

If you see any suspicious people or activities, call police at (949) 644-3717.