Deputies were quick to respond to a burglary call in Malibu early last Wednesday morning, resulting in the arrest of nine suspects, according to Deputy Kristen Deschino of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.
A local resident and off-duty fire captain heard a noise around 3:45 a.m. on Dec. 16 on the 21000 block of Pacific Coast Highway, went outside, saw a vehicle and called 911.
“His alertness and quick-to-action response led patrol deputies to a car,” Deschino said. “Nine people were stuffed inside of it. A lot of stolen property was inside of it, and a lot of stolen property was recovered.”
Three victims were reportedly in Malibu, one from out of county.
Two juvenile and seven adult suspects were arrested at the scene of the crime. All of the suspects lived out of the area, according to Deschino.
“It happens all year long, but during the holiday season, you normally see an increase in certain things,” Deschino said. “It’s just a reminder to the public to remain vigilant … securing your property, locking your vehicles, being alert. We can’t commend the fire captain enough for his quick response. It’s a cooperative effort between the fire captain, the patrol deputies, the fast response … and then the burglary team at Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.
Point Dume
On Tuesday, Dec. 22, a Point Dume resident woke up to not only see his vehicle ransacked but gifts from inside the vehicle stolen and also thrown across his lawn.
Malibu-based architect Doug Burdge and his family were the latest victims in a string of vehicle burglaries affecting the Point Dume area of Malibu.
“We woke up this morning and we went to go to our cars,” Burdge said. “The backs of the car’s doors were open. It was raining last night and it was windy. There was a bunch of trash around the yard and we just thought it was the wind coming through the trash. We looked in the back of the car and somebody had taken all these gifts, opened them all up and rummaged through our car and cash was taken. More expensive gifts were taken. Clothes were left in our yard.”
Burdge notified the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station of the incident, and deputies arrived at the scene to report the crime.
The suspect(s) left behind a Canon camera on Burdge’s front yard, “it was in a case, like they had taken it from someone else,” Burdge said.
Deputies retrieved the camera for evidence in the burglary case.
“You just never think about a crime, but obviously you have to think about it during the holidays more so,” Burdge said.
Burdge reported his neighbor was also a victim of a vehicle burglary on the same night.
“You can’t stop somebody from doing something, Burdge said. “We obviously have to lock our cars and put better lighting up. Cameras are cheap nowadays. You just never thought about it.”
Deputies encourage residents to report any suspicious activity in the area to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.
“It’s never happened here,” Burdge said. “I joke to my friends — you leave your cars, your door open … you think you’re safe. And then, all of a sudden something like this happens. You’re about to leave for the holiday and you’ve been violated. Your stuff’s been stolen and strewn across the yard. It’s just so disrespectful. It’s just a total invasion of privacy.”