Crime & Safety

Crime Alert: 11 Residential Burglaries in Hercules this Month vs. Only 2 Last April

The east and southeast sides of Hercules are being hit especially hard.

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By Connie Van Putten
Hercules Police Department 

The City of Hercules is experiencing a spike in residential burglaries during the month of April, 2013.  To date there have been eleven residential burglaries this month, verses two during April 2012.  Of particular concern are the five burglaries which occurred on Monday April 22, 2013, between the hours of 11:00am and 2:30pm. 

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Four of the burglaries occurred on the East and Southeast sides of Hercules; in the 1900 block of Redwood Rd; 1400 Partridge St; the 100 block of Lilac Circle; and the 100 block of Goldenrod Dr.  Three of these four homes were entered through second story, open windows.  The fourth home was entered by forcing a sliding glass door at the side of the house.  The fifth home was on the Northeast side of the City, in the 200 block of Newbury St.  At least four of the cases appear to be related (Redwood, Partridge, Lilac, and Goldenrod) and appear to have been committed by the same suspect or suspects. There was an additional case, on the Northeast side of the City in the 100 block of Newbury, during the same time frame.  This case may also be related, but the method of entry was different from the other four.

An alert neighbor, on Goldenrod Dr. alerted the Police Department that four African American males jumped over a neighbor’s fence, into the backyard.  The witness stayed on the line and reported one of the male was on the roof, of the house, then entered a second story window.  A short time later all four males exited the front of the house and entered a White Honda Odyssey. 

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As Officers were in route to the Goldenrod address they observed the Honda Odyssey leaving the area.  An Officer attempted to stop the vehicle, and the driver refused to yield.  Officers pursued the vehicle around Hercules City streets, then onto W/B Highway 80.  The vehicle exited at Macdonald Dr, in Richmond, proceeding onto San Pablo Ave, then on to Cutting Blvd.  Officers terminated the pursuit when they entered the area near Kennedy High School, as the risk to students was too great.  A short time later Hercules Police were advised the Richmond Police had located the Honda, unoccupied, on Wall St.  The vehicle had been reported stolen on April 21, 2013, from San Francisco.  The vehicle was brought back to Hercules for processing.

During the pursuit, the suspects were seen throwing items out of the vehicle.  The only item recovered was a handgun.  It was recovered on Redwood Rd and had been taken in one of the burglaries.

The common element in ten of the eleven burglaries, during April, was that they occurred between the hours of 5:30 am and 3:00pm.  Many of the entries were through open windows or by forcing a sliding glass door.  The loss appears to be small electronics, cash and jewelry.  In one case a vehicle was taken out of the garage.

Another area of concern was a group of residential burglaries which occurred the latter part of March and the first week of April.  These four cases occurred between the hours of 7:00pm and 11:30 pm, on the North side of town, in an area known as Victoria Crescent.  In three of the cases the residents were not at home at the time of the burglaries.  In the fourth case the suspects fled when they saw the residents inside the home.  Entries were made by smashing sliding glass doors, or through open windows.  The loss was small electronics and jewelry.

This number of burglaries, in a short time span, is an unusual occurrence in Hercules.  Most residential burglaries are crimes of opportunity and occur when the residents are not at home.  The common method of operation is to knock on the door, or ring the door bell; if no one answers the suspects look for an easy point of entry. 

The Hercules Police Department advises all residents to take the normal crime prevention precautions.  Lock your doors and windows, particularly when you are not at home.  If someone rings your door bell, or knocks on the door, and you do not know them, do not open the door.  However, let the person know you are in the residence.  Ask who is there, or say you are calling the police.  This tells anyone, with criminal intentions, to move on.

The Hercules Police Department requests our citizens continue to be vigilant about what is going on in your neighborhoods.  If you see a vehicle, or a person, you consider suspicious, call the Police (510-724-1111).  We would rather respond to something that checks out okay, then miss something that puts our citizens, or their property, at risk.

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