Atherton police urge stronger home-security steps after 3 Thanksgiving burglaries

After the town saw three burglaries around Thanksgiving, the Atherton Police Department is urging residents to take stronger home-security precautions, saying many of the incidents involved unlocked doors, unarmed alarms and other preventable vulnerabilities.

Police Chief Steve McCulley said in a letter to residents that officers have stepped up patrols, expanded investigative work and increased proactive crime-prevention programs in response to the trend. But he emphasized that the most effective strategy relies on both police action and consistent safety steps by homeowners.

The three burglaries 

On Nov. 28 at about 3:20 p.m., a man broke into an Atherton home on Toyon Road by smashing a window. However, once he had entered the house, the homeowner spoke to him through indoor cameras, which caused the suspect to flee. Nothing was reported missing. 

The burglar was described as an adult male, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a stocky build. He had brown eyes and was wearing a black baseball hat with a white Nike swoosh, a black paper medical mask, a black zip-up jacket and black pants, police said. 

Later on Nov. 28,  an unknown number of suspects broke into a home on Cebalo Lane and stole a pair of Prada sunglasses worth $225. Due to an error, Atherton’s press release on the burglary initially said the police’s response was delayed due to the alarm not being registered with the department. However, Atherton police Cmdr. Dan Larsen later clarified that no alarm was active during the burglary.

Three days prior, an unknown number of suspects entered a construction site on Patricia Drive through an unsecured door at around 4:30 a.m. Larsen said in an email to this publication that a $4,000 bicycle was stolen from the property. 

As of publication, none of the burglars have been reported apprehended. Larsen said the department is still investigating whether the burglaries are related. 

“(It’s) hard to say that it is a harbinger of increased burglaries. However, burglaries do tend to increase over the holidays as people are traveling,” Larsen said in an email to this publication. 

What residents can do

The department has identified several recurring issues in recent break-ins, including homes left dark inside and out, side gates left unsecured, valuables stored in obvious locations and security cameras or alarms that were turned off at the time of the burglary. In some cases, safes were placed in primary bedrooms or offices, locations typically targeted first by organized burglary crews.

“These are conditions that create opportunities that organized burglary crews look for as they scout neighborhoods,” McCulley said.

Police asked residents to adopt several practices to reduce the chances of being targeted, such as locking all doors, windows and side gates, moving safes and valuables to less predictable areas, arming alarm systems even during short outings, ensuring security cameras are recording and sending alerts, and using lighting timers to avoid dark areas around homes. They also encourage residents to consider enrolling in the town’s alarm-monitoring program and to report suspicious activity immediately.

The department says it continues to adapt its policing strategies based on recent activity, including increasing patrol visibility, strengthening partnerships with regional agencies and expanding the town’s Bait House Burglary Detection program. Detectives are evaluating each case for emerging patterns and potential suspects.

McCulley encouraged anyone with questions or those seeking a home-security review to contact the police department.