PORT ANGELES — Police are seeing a spike in nighttime home burglaries as the intruders, who often enter occupied residences, take advantage of unlocked doors and windows.
Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said 52 home burglaries have been reported in the past two months, including three that occurred Tuesday night and Wednesday morning on the east side of town.
Police say that is higher than normal, although a figure showing how much wasn’t immediately available.
t
Smith said many of them have occurred while the residents sleep including the three burglaries that occurred between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. earlier this week.
The three burglaries, as well as one report of criminal trespass in a carport, were between Columbia Street and East Ninth Street.
Sgt. Barb McFall said two of the residents were awakened by a burglar, who fled the homes when confronted.
In another incident, a burglar entered a bedroom while the home owners slept and left without them knowing, she said.
McFall said the residents knew a burglary had occurred because the bedroom window, which had been closed, was open in the morning, and purses and wallets were missing.
“It takes a special kind of person to go into an occupied house, knowing it’s occupied,” she said.
McFall said most of the thefts involve purses, wallets or laptop computers left in a living room.
She said police suspect the nighttime burglaries are related, but that they don’t know how many burglars are involved.
None of the homeowners who caught a burglar in the act have been able to provide descriptions, having simply seen a shadowy figure, McFall said.
But one thing is clear, she said, the burglar, or burglars, are looking for unlocked doors and windows.
“People need to lock their houses, lock their cars,” McFall said.
She added that windows also should be secured, whether closed or cracked open.
The burglaries are in addition to an increased number of car prowls or auto burglaries, police said.
Some of these cases have been solved, while others remain open.
Smith and McFall both emphasized that people should call the police at 9-1-1 if they notice anyone they don’t recognize on private property at night.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
