Shortly before noon Monday, police received a call from a resident on the first block of Orchard Road reporting that an unknown man had just knocked on the door of that resident's home. The homeowner also saw a suspicious subject walking along the side of her house, Orinda police reported, with that individual making eye contact and then getting into a car with two other people inside.
Another Orchard Road resident also saw the vehicle with the three subjects aboard, the trio reportedly looking into windows of homes on the street. The second homeowner provided a description of the subjects, their clothing, their vehicle and their actions to police.
Orinda Police stopped the vehicle on Moraga Way and Orchard Road. Officers conducted an in-field identification and all three subjects were positively identified as the ones who were looking into homes.
Officers allegedly found an assortment of items including jewelry and vases, inside the vehicle. As of this writing, one item has been identified as stolen property and a suspect arrested for possession of stolen property. A second person was arrested for a probation violation and the third on a warrant for driving without a license, according to Orinda police.
Orinda Police are currently working with Moraga police in an effort to determine if that town had any unreported residential burglaries as the vehicle had been seen in Moraga prior to being stopped.
"Without the assistance of alert citizens, officers would not have been able to apprehend these suspects before they possibly committed a crime in Orinda," said Orinda Police Chief Jeff Jennings.
Jennings says Orinda has had 30 residential burglaries so far this year, far lower than last year. The city usually averages 4 to 8 per month.
"Even one is too many," Jennings said. "Remain vigilant, eliminate opportunities for crimes and call in any suspicious activity to our 24 hour police dispatch line at 925-284-5010."
Chief Jennings also offers Orinda residents a free Burglary Prevention Audit of their homes. Residents can make an appointment by calling 254-6820. Officers will visit homes and suggest ways to make them safer.
