The Manhattan Beach Police Department reported a slight uptick in calls for service last week, recording 937 incidents that varied from dispatched to officer-initiated contacts, according to a recent summary. During this period spanning from July 3 to July 9, there were a total of 12 arrests made and 56 reports taken, which included 18 traffic collisions and a handful of crime types categorized by the authority as their top concerns.
Among the crimes noted in the summary, several stood out, such as theft and vehicle burglary, with theft crimes numbering seven across Patrol Areas 2, 3, and 4 and vehicle burglaries matching that count in the same patrol sectors; this indicates a sustained concern for property-related offenses within the community. In one notable event on July 6, officers responded to a burglary on the 1600 block of 1 Street, where the homeowner discovered upon return that the residence's rear door glass was smashed and the primary bedroom had been ransacked, with miscellaneous jewelry reported stolen.
Furthermore, a string of thefts from motor vehicles serve as a stark reminder for residents to remain vigilant in securing their belongings, with incidents ranging from grand theft to burglary, including a case where a wallet and purse were taken from unlocked vehicles, and another where a vehicle's driver-side window was smashed to remove money and a vehicle's battery was stolen after tampering with the door handle and ignition.
The police advised the community to adopt proactive safety measures such as never leaving valuables in plain sight and always ensuring vehicles are locked with windows closed additionally, the recommendation extends to investing in anti-theft devices and to park in well-lit, active areas as deterrents, possibly avoiding the spare key hidden scenario that seems all too common yet door handles and ignitions remain vulnerable targets for opportunistic thieves.
Anyone with information relating to these incidents, particularly the notable burglary, is encouraged to reach out directly to Detective Ajdukovic at 310-802-5133 as the MBPD continues its efforts to investigate and curb local crime trends.
