Cops Investigate Burglary Series

Neighbors are being warned to lock all windows and doors, especially side doors

Larry Caudillo couldn't believe his ears when he got a call from his wife on Monday that someone had broken into their home in the 9900 block of Dichondra Court.

"A neighbor saw some guys going through the house and called 911," Caudillo told NBCSanDiego.

By the time officers arrived, the suspects had gotten away. But in their haste, they dropped a 50-inch flat screen TV, one of two stolen from Caudillo's home.

The burglars ransacked the home and also stole other high priced items.

“Motorcycle helmets, and things of that nature that are very dear to us," Caudillo said.

The burglars appear to have gotten into home by coming through the door on the side of the house, according to Caudillo. "It may or may not have been locked."

Detectives are still determining if this burglary is related to a series of burglaries in Scripps Ranch over the past few weeks.

In the previous nine cases, the burglars entered through a side access door on a garage where the deadbolt was not secured.

“They’re using a credit card like you see on TV or a pocket knife, and they’re just going in and they’re unlocked or pushing the latch on the bottom lock open and just pulling the door open," said SDPD spokesman Gary Hassen.

In the previous cases, investigators say the thieves only stayed in the garage, and never entered the home.

"All they've done is gone into the car, taken the GPS's, whatever else may be laying around inside the car," said Hassen. "In one case a bicycle was taken."

Caudillo is now planning to invest in a home security system.

"We'll make sure to lock everything up and hopefully, we'll have better luck next time," Caudillo said.

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