Lafayette police said Friday that their investigation of a frightening daylight burglary attempt earlier in the week has resulted in several leads, recovery of a car believed used during the attempt, and identification of several suspects.
Chief Eric Christensen said officers were able to obtain a photo of the car used in an attempted theft Wednesday afternoon – and that investigators were able to track the vehicle back to an address in San Francisco.
Christensen reported that the resident of a home on White Pine Lane was alerted to the sound of someone “frantically” ringing her doorbell at 11:04 a.m. Wednesday but that she ignored the ringing – thinking it was done by a solicitor.
Officers said the homeowner thought the person at her front door had left and went about her activities when a short time later she thought she heard glass breaking and looked up to see someone in a red or maroon hoodie near her bedroom door.
Barricading herself in her bedroom, the homeowner called police, Christensen said, and officers responded to extricate the frightened resident and initiate a search for as many as three individuals believed to have been involved.
A photo of the car taken at the time of the attempted burglary eventually led police to a location in San Francisco, where the car was staked out and eventually recovered for processing of evidence. Police said they believe the same car was used in at least one other crime in Lafayette in mid-August.
Investigators are asking neighbors to check their home security systems to find images of the vehicle moving through the Happy Valley Neighborhood. Police said the vehicle entered the neighborhood on Upper Happy Valley Road from El Nido Ranch Road at 10:46 a.m. The vehicle is believed to have traveled along Upper Happy Valley Road to Happy Valley Road and then traveled North – looking for a home to burglarize. The car left the neighborhood at 11:08 a.m. through the intersection of Happy Valley and Deer Hill.
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Give the burglarymobile to charity.
They do keep coming back don’t they?
I would have been scared spitless. I wonder who was more surprised – the burglar or the owner.
I would’ve been scared too. I ignore the doorbell also, but if someone was ring “frantically” I think I’d answer. Or call the police.
There has to be something worth stealing in San Francisco. Stay over there please.
Burglaries are down overall right?
Kind of like a game of doorbell ditch – only with adult consequences.
You can acknowledge a ringing doorbell without opening the door. It’s really best to let these people know you’re home. Most often, they will move on to an unoccupied dwelling.
Sorry, I can’t answer the door right now…It’s taking ALL of my strength to restrain Bunny, my Mastiff.
… and Bunny doesn’t like solicitors…