Another rash of car burglaries hits Burbank

Burbank motorists faced another rash of burglaries this weekend, with nearly $12,000 worth of phones, cameras, clothing and cash stolen from seven parked cars, police said Monday.

More than half of the cars – which were burglarized late Saturday night or early Sunday morning – were parked in underground parking lots in the 300 block of North Screenland Drive and the 200 block of North Kenwood Street.

The other cars were parked in lots at 1300 North Naomi St., 200 West Linden Ave. and 1700 Victory Place.

In all but two cases, the burglars gained entry by smashing a car window.

The burglaries came just two weeks after nearly $10,000 in cash and property was stolen from more than a dozen parked cars during just one Saturday morning.

The thefts have prompted Burbank police to launch a “Hide it, Lock it, Lose it” campaign urging residents to hide or remove valuables – whether digital devices, holiday gifts, purses or wallets – from their cars.

The department is also assembling special patrols to address the car thefts, said Burbank Police Lt. Eddie Ruiz.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, Times Community News

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.