From Kim Minugh:
Sacramento police are investigating a rash of residential burglaries in the South Land Park area in recent weeks, according to authorities.
The spate of break-ins - which don't appear related - could be part of a slight uptick in burglaries seen across the city in January, police said.
Thirteen homes have been burglarized in the South Land Park and Greenhaven neighborhoods since Jan. 14, according to police. In the most recent burglaries, five homes were hit on Jan. 27.
The same area might see four or five burglaries in a typical month, said spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong.
In all but one case, the robbers broke in when nobody was home, Leong said. Once, the burglar fled after realizing the home was occupied.
There is no consistent time frame for the burglaries, and police have no information on a suspect.
The burglar, or burglars, have been entering homes primarily by force to the side garage door, breaking sliding glass doors, or through unlocked doors, police said. The loot has included televisions, electronics, cash and jewelry.
Capt. Dan Schiele, who oversees the city's southern end, said the South Land Park burglaries mirror a recent citywide increase.
It's too early to tell whether the souring economy is a factor, Schiele said, but police are taking that into consideration.
"We're definitely much more concerned about the possibility of crime rising because of that," he said.
Leong said burglaries were the "No. 1 topic" in last week's crime strategies session - a weekly meeting in which police officials discuss crime trends and allocate resources.
January's citywide burglary statistics are down from 2008 but have climbed slightly in recent weeks, Leong said.
Schiele said burglaries are most often solved when neighbors keep an eye out and report suspicious activity to police.
"Don't be afraid to call us," he said. "If you don't call and you don't give the officers the opportunity to check out something suspicious, we don't have the opportunity to solve the crime."
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