The Sun Sunnyvale's Newspaper Rash of burglaries plague southern neighborhoods By Justin Berton and Steve Enders Sunnyvale police have rejuvenated their search for a team of burglars they believe is responsible for ransacking at least 30 homes in the southern part of the city after learning the group struck again in neighboring Cupertino last week. "It's the same group doing it; they just moved cities," Sunnyvale Det. Mark Sole said. Police believe the group is responsible for approximately 60 home burglaries in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Santa Clara and San Jose. "It's a rash that's kind of bugging me," said Sgt. Mike Flood of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department. Flood said that two weeks ago a Cupertino home on Terrace Drive was pillaged for $50,000 in fine jewelry. The last home burglarized by the team in Sunnyvale was on the 700 block of Remington Avenue in May. Since then, no other crimes matching the m.o. of the suspects have taken place within Sunnyvale limits, Sole said. "They could have been arrested, or they could have been laying low," he surmised. The burglars, according to Flood, break in by entering a rear window or by kicking in a side garage door. Sometimes they will cut the power lines to the home, disabling the lighting system. The burglars also seem to have a history of hitting on the weekends, when residents leave their homes for the evening. Once inside, Flood said, the burglars go straight for closets and drawers, ripping apart people's belongings in search of jewelry, cash and other small valuables. Sole believes the group may number up to 10 people working together, so they can operate quickly and efficiently. Sole added that the south Sunnyvale area could be a target for the burglars because it sits in a pocket between major streets that can serve as quick getaways. Flood said it is possible that the burglars are Asian because a majority of the homes ransacked are owned by Asian residents. Other than the possible coincidence, Flood said one suspected burglar who robbed a Sunnyvale home made off with a credit card and was caught on camera at an ATM in San Bruno. The suspect was described as an Asian man in his early 20s. With word of the latest heist, Sole said the investigation has been "bumped up a notch." In Cupertino, residents are banding together and holding their first neighborhood meeting this week to discuss how to organize a watch group to keep from becoming the next victims. Sunnyvale police distributed more than 1,000 fliers throughout the area south of Fremont Avenue to notify residents of the burglaries since the crime spree began in December 1997. No suspects have been called in for questioning, Sole said, "but there is a group of about 10 people we are looking at to decide if there is involvement." This is not the first time south Sunnyvale residents have been put on alert for burglars. In early 1996, a well-dressed male suspect police nicknamed the "Brown Suit Burglar" was believed to have hit at least 100 homes in the same area. The sharply dressed thief knocked on doors pretending to sell insurance. If no one answered the door, the Brown Suit Burglar would use the opportunity to break into the home. After police distributed fliers with a sketch of the suspect, tips flooded the department and an arrest was made. The Brown Suit Burglar was found guilty of robbing 50 homes. [ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 14, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.