More Than $20K Worth of Jewelry Stolen from Newport Homes

Three homes on Promontory Drive in Newport Beach were burglarized Tuesday, with more than $20,000 in jewelry being stolen, a police official reported.

The burglaries took place at homes in the 100 block of Promontory Drive between 7:30 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. Jennifer Manzella, police spokeswoman, said in each case the suspect forced open the front door with some type of tool and stole men's, women's and costume jewelry totaling $23,850.


"Our detectives will investigate all three cases thoroughly to determine if the same suspect, or suspects, were responsible for all three burglaries," Manzella said.  

Manzella said one resident reported about $1,350 worth of jewelry stolen, another lost about $2,000 in jewelry and the third resident said about $20,500 in jewelry was taken.

None of the residents were home when the burglaries occurred.

Home Safety Tips

• Always lock your windows and doors when you go out, even if for only a few minutes.
• All windows should be equipped with a secondary security lock.
• All exterior doors should be of a solid core construction and have a deadbolt lock. This includes the  door leading from the garage into your home.
• These doors should also be  equipped with a security strike plate using four to six, three inch screws.  The screws should affix the strike plate to the home’s structure not just the frame of the door.
• Never leave a purse, wallet or other valuables in plain sight.
• If you have a safe, make sure that it is properly secured with bolts so that it cannot be easily removed.
• Always close and lock your safe, and never leave a key or combination laying around.
• If your home is equipped with an alarm, always activate it even if you’re only going out for a short walk.
• If you allow individuals such as housekeepers in your home while you are away, they should have a separate alarm code. 
• If your system is setup to chime when a door or window is opened, make sure that the chime volume is loud enough to be heard throughout the residence.
• Always keep your front and rear porch lights on from dusk to dawn and use motion detector lighting along the sides of your home or   areas with little foot traffic.
• Keep landscaping trimmed down around doorways, windows, and light fixtures.
• Report all suspicious activity by calling the Newport Beach Police Department at 949-644-3717.
  

Click here for today's top stories on Newport Beach-Corona Del Mar Patch.