NEWS24-680 ran a short tease on our Facebook page Friday after several sharp-eyed readers wrote with news of police activity on the Moraga-Lafayette border and a resultant car stop in downtown Lafayette.
Turns out, you got most of it right, with police looking for a car and two people suspected of a daylight, rear-door burglary in the 600 Block of Sky Hy Circle in Lafayette. And a car answering the general description of one being sought by police was stopped near the Lafayette Safeway – but apparently wasn’t the car police were looking for.
Investigators confirmed Monday that thieves entered the home after shattering a rear sliding glass door, ransacked it, and used backpacks found inside the residence to haul away their loot – which consisted of jewelry, cash and electronics.
Officers canvassed the gated community, which has several restricted access points, and found a witness who reported they saw a dark-colored SUV outside of the gate as they exited the property at approximately 12:45 p.m. The witness was able to provide minimal details about the vehicle other than it was dark in color, appeared to be several years old and was “boxy.”
On Saturday, a Powell Drive resident called police to report that a woman had shown up at his door and rang his doorbell the day prior. When the man answered the door, he said the woman asked for direction to get to the freeway and after getting them quickly returned to a dark colored SUV that was parked in the driveway of the home. The woman then quickly left the neighborhood in an unknown direction. Police said the witness was not able to provide an exact time for the encounter, but believed it was between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Police are seeking any information about other contacts with the woman or car neighbors in the area of south Moraga Road (near the Moraga border) may have had on Friday. Residents who live in this area of the community are asked to review their home surveillance systems for images of the vehicle in other neighborhoods. The vehicle is believed to have been in the neighborhoods between 12:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, July 24.
Suspect Vehicle Description
- Dark-colored (Black) SUV (Unknown Make/Model)
- “Boxy” in appearance, Possibly a Ford or a Chevrolet
- Several model years old
Suspect Description
- White woman
- Heavy-set
- Last seen wearing a floral dress
I think the fact that these asshats are able to get inside a gated community and rip people off says more about the security of the community than the sophistication of the crook. Ring the doorbell and if no one answers go around back and break in? Not exactly master criminals here.
Sanders Ranch was also hit
The whole gated community thing befuddles me. But that’s just me and I’m admittedly a little different.
Crazy. We must be really easy to rob.
I don’t think you’re any safer in a gated community than an ungated one. these people seem to be able to get into any type of home without much problem. And they don’t exactly strike me as being particularly smart. Just really REALLY lucky.