There have been a string of more than a dozen overnight burglaries along a stretch of the San Fernando Valley from Tarzana to Sherman Oaks.
KNX News' Pete Demetriou reports the burglaries are typically carried out by crews of three to four individuals, with one sitting in a nearby getaway vehicle - usually a dark-colored SUV.
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The suspects, armed with crowbars, break open doors, ransack bedrooms for cash or jewelry and are gone in less than five minutes.
One Sherman Oaks resident, Barbara, says there have been four burglaries in homes near hers in the last several weeks.
While private security companies do patrol the area and LAPD officers have increased their nighttime presence, she is convinced these criminals will only be caught if alert neighbors report what they see.
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"A community approach is the only way to answer this problem. Your neighbor helps your neighbor," said Barbra.
Police think as many as two or three separate crews might be working in the area. They advise people to be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious vehicles, especially those on small residential roads between midnight and daylight.
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