Newport Beach home burglarized after suspect accesses it via hillside

A recent burglary at a Newport Ridge home left Newport Beach police officers believing someone had accessed the home by first climbing a hillside behind the property.

The burglary is believed to have taken place between 3 a.m. on Feb. 17 and 11:40 p.m. on March 9. Investigators believe the burglar climbed a tree to access the house’s second-story balcony after entering the backyard.

Once on the balcony, the person shattered a glass door and stole watches, cash, a wallet, personal documents and gift cards from the master bedroom and closet. It also appeared the burglar tried unsuccessfully to remove a safe.

This Newport Ridge burglary is one of two recent residential break-ins using a hillside access point reported this year, police said, with the other having taken place in the Broadmoor Sea View Community on Feb. 28.

In the February incident, more than one person accessed the backyard through a hillside behind the home, police said. The suspects were identified as wearing dark clothes, hoodies and masks. One was wearing a backpack.