Police detectives are dubbing this man the 'Cambrian Cat Burglar;' a seemingly appropriate name for a person who, for more than two months now, has been quietly sneaking into homes in West San Jose and getting away with residents' belongings while most have been fast asleep inside.
Police are hoping a new sketch of the serial burglar may help catch him. Detectives suspect this man has repeatedly burglarized at least 27 homes since early July. He's been stealing wallets, purses, cash and other small valuables left out in the open.
They're pretty sure he's been working alone and say the burglar is quite bold to keep entering homes with residents asleep inside. So far, there have not been any confrontations. All the break-ins have been happening in the Cambrian neighborhood of West San Jose. The first reported one happened July 2nd, the last confirmed one was this last Sunday.
The burglaries have a fairly similar pattern -- they happen sometime between 1:00 to 4:00 in the morning on quiet residential streets. Police believe the suspect wanders through yards, searching for open windows or unlocked garage doors. He's usually stolen from occupied homes and has only been seen very briefly by a few people.
The Cambrian neighborhood is becoming more aware of the serial burglaries through community meetings, but detectives also encourage residents to protect themselves by:
Residents are being urged to look out for each other's neighbors, and report any suspicious person or activity.
Anyone with information about the Cambrian area burglaries is asked to call San Jose police. Tipsters can also stay anonymous and call Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers; who is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
