Residential burglaries are at a five-year high in Palo Alto, according to crime statistics released Tuesday, according to the Bay Area News Group.
A total of 151 burglaries were reported to police between Jan. 1 and Sept. 10, the data shows, the newspaper reported. By way of comparison, 97 were reported during the same period last year. The last time the city saw a comparable number was 2008, when 130 burglaries were reported between Jan. 1 and Sept. 10.
One resident, Chandler Werline, told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday that "people get in certain areas and they get in a false sense of security." He said that especially in the affluent city of Palo Alto, most people think they're safe. But, he added: "Predators will come over here, too."
The first three months of 2012 saw a significant increase in burglaries. There were 21 in January, 22 in February and 32 in March, according to the newspaper.
Just seven crimes were reported in April following stepped up patrols and the launch of the police department's "Lock It or Lose It" campaign, which urged residents to secure their homes and report suspicious activity.
Capt. Ron Watson of the Palo Alto Police Department told the newspaper it isn't clear whether the latest uptick is the beginning of a new trend or an anomaly. There were five burglaries during the first 10 days of September, and that represents a drop-off compared to the increase in August, he added.
NBC Bay Area reporter Christie Smith contributed to this report.
