Full Notification

Tustin Police Department has had two residential burglaries in the Pepper Tree Area. Tustin Police Department has already started conducting patrol checks but encourages the public to remain vigilant and to call the police immediately if they see anything suspicious.

Some recommendations to consider in order to reduce your chances of becoming a victim:

• Make your home look occupied, and make it difficult to break in.
• Burglaries do happen in the daylight hours.
• Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed. Even if it is for a short time, lock your doors. Deadbolts are good for outside doors.
• Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away for a length of time, connect some lamps to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off during the day.
• Keep your garage door closed and locked, even when home. If you do leave your garage door open and it is an attached garage – lock the door into the house.
• Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or flyers build up while you are away. Arrange with the Post Office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to take them regularly.
• Arrange for your lawn to be mowed if you are going away for an extended time.
• Check your locks on doors and windows and replace them with secure devices as necessary.
• Sliding glass doors are vulnerable. Special locks are available for better security. Even a wooden dowel or a track blocker will help prevent the door from opening.
• Just because it’s horrible weather outside – that doesn’t stop the criminal activity.

DON’T TEMPT A THIEF:
• Lawn mowers, snow blowers, barbecues and bicycles are best stored out of sight.
• Always lock your garden sheds and garages.
• Use curtains on garage and basement windows.
• Never leave notes on your door such as "Gone shopping."


SECURING THE OUTSIDE:
• Adequate exterior lighting. A motion-sensitive light is recommended for front, side, driveway and backyards. Suggestion: delayed motion sensors…which may make a thief think you’ve just flipped a switch inside the house.
• Trim trees and shrubs so that they cannot be used as hiding places for intruders.
• Make sure your door hinges are on the inside.
• Use alarm decals, beware of dog decals, and/or community watch decals near doors.


IF YOUR HOME IS BROKEN INTO:
• If you come home to find an unexplained open/broken window or door, Do not enter - the perpetrator may still be inside.
• Use a cellular phone or a neighbor's phone to call police.
• Do not touch anything or clean up until the police have inspected for evidence.
• Write down the license plate numbers of any suspicious vehicles.
• Note the descriptions of any suspicious persons.


GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS:
 Get to know all your adjacent neighbors
 Invite them into your home and establish trust
 Agree to watch out for each other's home
 Do small tasks for each other to improve territoriality
 While on vacation - pick up newspapers, and flyers
 Offer to occasionally park your car in their driveway
 Return the favor and communicate often

The MOST important thing YOU can do is CALL THE POLICE to report a CRIME or any SUSPICIOUS activity. You have to be the eyes of your neighborhood. And remember you can always remain a pair of anonymous eyes!
Suspicious Activity = door-to-door solicitation, strange vehicles in area, people asking for work, anyone with stories that don’t add-up, and anyone carrying items from someone’s home, or carrying back-packs, bags in the area.

Emergency or Crime in Progress: 9-1-1
Dispatch (For a Report or suspicious activity): (714) 573-3225