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Police Say Unlocked Homes In Petaluma Are Being Burgled In Broad Daylight

PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- Petaluma residents' unlocked homes are being burgled in broad daylight, police said Thursday.

There have been 86 residential burglaries in Petaluma this year - 18 in August alone - and 74 of them were committed between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Lt. Ken Savano said.

Only 14 percent of the burglaries involved the use of force.

Burglars entered homes through unlocked doors and windows in 86 percent of the burglaries, Savano said.

A burglary on Tuesday fit the pattern. It occurred between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., force wasn't used and the suspects entered an unlocked back bedroom window to steal jewelry and electronics, Savano said.

Another burglary occurred Wednesday night but details were not yet unavailable.

Residential burglaries have averaged nine a month this year.

Forty-six percent of this year's burglaries have occurred in the southeast area, 27 percent in the northeast area, 22 percent in the southwest area and five percent in the northwest area of the city, Savano said.

Suspects knock on a front door to see if anyone is home, then enter via unsecured yards, unlocked sliding glass doors, garage doors and unlocked or open windows.

Preventive measures beside locking up include installing alarm systems or alarm stickers on windows, installing outdoor lights or motion detection lights, picking up newspapers and trash cans from the front of homes, and leaving lights and stereo systems on inside homes.

Residents who arrive home to a burgled home should call police immediately and stay outside until officers arrive, Savano said. Savano said police are actively investigating the burglaries.

© Copyright 2014 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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