Incline Village, NV…The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating a series of residential and vehicle burglaries that have occurred during the last month in the Incline Village area.

According to investigators, there have been at least a dozen vehicle burglaries and eight residential burglaries in various areas of Incline Village since the beginning of November. The residences all appear to have been unoccupied at the time of the burglaries.

Investigators believe that there is more than one suspect, or group of suspects, who are committing these burglaries.

Residents are asked to be alert, keep an eye on their neighborhoods and report suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office immediately. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division may be reached at (775) 328-3320. Anyone with information may also contact Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900.

The Sheriff’s Office reminds all residents that, in most case, burglaries are crimes of opportunity. In a community such as Incline Village, many homes are seasonally occupied. Homeowners and vehicle owners are encouraged to take action that will help reduce those opportunities, protect their valuables, and assist neighbors who are unable to protect themselves.

“Criminals look for easy targets such as vacant homes, unlocked cars or valuables left in plain sight,” Washoe County Undersheriff Tim Kuzanek said. “Working together to eliminate those easy targets is one of the most effective ways for our community to fight crime.”

Undersheriff Kuzanek said one of the best safety steps residents can take is to get to know their neighbors.

“Neighbors watching out for neighbors is one of the best ways to spot suspicious activity,” he said. “A trusted friend or neighbor can also keep an eye on your house while you’re away.”

Additional tips to help keep your home safe while travelling:

Never broadcast your travel plans on a community email group, blog, Facebook, or other social networking site and remember if you check-in on foursquare or Facebook, everyone knows you aren’t home
Lock windows, sliders, and doors when leaving for any length of time
Stop all deliveries or arrange for someone to pick up your mail, newspapers, and packages
Never keep valuable objects in plain view
Do your best to have your home look occupied while you are away
Never leave a house key hidden outside of your home, someone else may find it and use it
Place inside lights and a radio on timers so that they go on and off periodically in the evening hours
Leave your blinds and drapes in their normal position on second floor windows and closed on ground level so no one can look inside and view an empty home
If you return home and it looks like someone has entered your home, do not go inside. Use a cell phone or go to a safe location such as a neighbor’s house to contact the police. Let the police check the home first.

Vehicle burglary prevention tips from the Sheriff’s Office Take ConTRoL campaign:

C – Clean it Out: remove valuables from your vehicle

T – Take your keys with you. Never leave your car running

R – Report suspicious activity or crimes to the proper authorities as soon as possible

L – Lock your doors every time. Sheriff’s Office statistics show that 75 percent of this year’s vehicle burglaries involved vehicles that were left unlocked

Additional safety tips are available under the “Staying Safe” page at washoesheriff.com.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office celebrated 150 years of proud service and community partnership in 2011. Sheriff Michael Haley is the 25th person elected to serve as the Sheriff of Washoe County. His office continues to be the only full service public safety agency operating within northern Nevada and is responsible for operating the consolidated detention facility, regional crime lab, Northern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, court security, service of civil process, traditional street patrols and Regional Animal Services.

###