Authorities investigate five car burglaries in La Cañada

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a series of car burglaries in the Foothills they believe were committed by the same person or persons.

The incidents, all which happened between Sunday night or early Monday, occurred on various streets in La Cañada Flintridge, including Chevy Chase Drive, Alta Canyada Road, Olive Lane, Gould Avenue and Woodleigh Lane. Most likely, the crimes took place during the dark early-morning hours, said Sgt. Robert Galbraith with the Crescenta Valley station’s detective bureau.

Five cars were burglarized, their driver’s side windows smashed open. The suspect then appeared to have opened center consoles and glove compartments, ransacking the vehicles, reports state.

Three of the five cars were rentals, operated through different companies. The victims appeared to be unrelated and had rented the vehicles for different time periods.

“As of now it seems to be a complete coincidence,” Galbraith said. “The positive thing is that most people don’t keep their property or personal information in rental cars.”

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for one man, visiting a residence in the 4400 block of Alta Canyada Road. He called deputies at 7:47 a.m. Monday to report his rental car — a 2014 Nissan Sentra — had been broken into and a wallet stolen from the pocket of the side door. The billfold contained an Illinois driver’s license, a social security card, credit card and some cash, the victim reported.

While officers were responding to the call, a resident contacted the Sheriff’s station to report a 2012 Volkswagen parked on the 1200 block of Olive Lane had had its driver’s side window smashed in. The Volkswagen’s glove box and center console were open, and a driver’s manual was on the passenger seat, but nothing was missing, according to the car’s owner.

Another call came from the 4400 block of Chevy Chase Drive, where a man visiting from Nevada reported his 2013 Chevy Impala from Enterprise Rent-A-Car had been smashed open and ransacked. No items had been taken, the man told police.

Still another incident occurred on the 4400 block of Gould Avenue, where a woman said the 2014 Toyota Corolla she’d been renting for two months from Budget had also been smashed open and ransacked.

About half a mile away from that crime scene, on the 4400 block of Woodleigh, a 2006 BMW was similarly burglarized and ransacked by someone who leaned through the broken window. Nothing in that car was missing, the car’s owner told officers.

Fingerprint tests were taken at all five crime scenes. Galbraith said deputies are continuing their investigation.