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Sheriff: Neighborhood Watch Groups Dramatically Reduced San Carlos Burglaries

SAN CARLOS (CBS SF) -- Home burglaries in San Carlos have decreased dramatically in the past three months thanks to vigilant residents and newly formed neighborhood watch groups, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday.

From January to mid-April, 26 home burglaries were reported in San Carlos, sheriff's Capt. Greg Rothaus said.

Residents and local agencies reacted by calling community meetings and forming as many as five new neighborhood watch groups.

From mid-April through July, home burglaries decreased more than 50 percent, with only 12 reported during the past three and a half months, according to the sheriff's office.

"Our city came together in a big way when we felt the sting from the higher burglary rates," Rothaus said in a statement.

Despite the reduction in break-ins, Rothaus urged residents to remain vigilant and keep taking preventative steps to reduce crime, like locking doors and windows, installing home alarms, and reporting suspicious activity.

Though burglaries are down in San Carlos, they still happen, and neighboring communities continue to experience "a significant number of these crimes," Rothaus said.

"It's critical we do not get complacent in our homes or community," he said.

On Monday, a burglary was reported at a home in the 900 block of Sunset Drive when the resident came home at around 10:20 p.m., according to the sheriff's office.

The burglar stole jewelry and electronics and appeared to have broken in through an unlocked rear window, the sheriff's office said.

In addition to securing doors and windows before leaving home, the sheriff's office advised residents to take photographs of valuable property and record serial numbers of televisions and computers.

Residents should also be on the lookout for unusual activity in their neighborhoods and report anything suspicious by calling 911.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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