Los Altos Hills is viewed as a relatively safe town, yet we are particularly vulnerable to home burglaries. The odds of a residence in Cupertino being burglarized in 2022 were 0.4%, Saratoga and Atherton were 0.6% and Portola Valley came in at 0.3%. Los Altos Hills was 1.5% – that’s higher than Oakland (0.6%). In 2021, Los Altos Hills had 22 burglaries. In 2022, there were 51!
Last year, Los Altos Hills had 1.5 deputies covering 9 square miles of town and 62 miles of roadway. By the time police are notified and arrive (active burglaries require two officers), the average sub-10-minute burglary is over. Thankfully, last month the city council authorized two additional patrol officers.
In 2022, the town deployed automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to assist law enforcement. These have yielded eight arrests but none related to burglaries. Notwithstanding ALPRs, only 10 of the 51 burglaries last year were successfully solved. (Three were by a known individual on the same residence. Seven were attributed to a now-deported individual.)
Because the likelihood of identifying burglars is under 20%, it comes down to deterrence. In addition to gates (which have not always prevented burglaries), alarm systems, signage, cameras, lighting, electronics, dogs, securing valuables and neighbors all play a part. Each additional layer increases deterrence.
Signs saying “No Trespassing” and indicating the presence of a security system and video cameras are a first step. A sign saying “Beware of Dogs” significantly discourages burglars (even if you don’t have a dog!). Use a high-security mailbox.
Home security systems detect opened doors, motion and glass breakage – but only if turned on. A popular method of entry involves breaking glass on an upper floor, so make sure your system covers all floors and detects breaking glass. If away for an extended period, consider having your monitoring company call the sheriff directly rather than calling you first. Many Wi-Fi-based do-it-yourself security systems are available nowadays (e.g., Arlo, Blink, Eufy, Nest, Ring, Wyze) with optional monitoring. Some have the ability to share neighborhood information. Whether your system is wired or wireless, consider backup power.
Install motion detector lights. Along with video doorbells, outdoor cameras can distinguish between vehicles, pets and people, notify you selectively, and turn on lights and appliances inside to make it look like someone is home. Lights with randomized timers are helpful. Barking-dog alarms sound like a dog inside when motion is detected outside (though these are of varying quality).
Some burglaries in town have involved hauling away safes as heavy as 400 pounds, so make sure safes are anchored and their opening edges are close to a wall (to make them harder to pry open with a crowbar). Don’t keep valuables in the usual locations – the primary bedroom and office are principal targets. Locations with lots of metal (garage, kitchen) can help mask jewelry from metal detectors. Consider a safe deposit box or private vault. (Banks are usually not liable for safe deposit box contents.) A cheap decoy safe may be a good diversion.
Finally, start a Neighborhood Watch group. The town provides up to $400 to each group for an annual meeting, and the signs discourage crooks. Let trusted neighbors know when you’ll be out of town so they can help with deliveries and waste bins, and keep an eye out.
Let’s all do our part to prevent burglaries.
Rajiv Bhateja, a retired engineer, has lived in Los Altos Hills since 2005. He is chairperson of the town’s Technology Committee and the Community Relations Committee. The views expressed in this column are his own.
