Palo Alto police were investigating three burglaries that occurred Monday night — two of which occurred while residents were home, authorities said.
The suspects of the burglaries remain unidentified and at large, according to a news release from the Palo Alto Police Department. All three incidents remain under investigation.
The first burglary was called into the police at 9:26 p.m., authorities said. A woman in her thirties reported that two masked people opened the side gate of her house on the 3900 block of Nelson Drive and entered with flashlights. The suspects then smashed the house’s glass back door.
When officers arrived, they saw two people entering a dark-colored vehicle and leaving the scene. As police tried to stop the vehicle, it fled “at a high rate of speed.”
Authorities did not immediately know whether the suspects stole anything from the house.
The second report of a burglary was called in at 9:34 p.m., authorities said. A man in his forties had returned to his house on the 400 block of El Capitan Place and found that it had been torn apart. He heard a noise, and his child reported seeing a suspect crawl on the ground, prompting the family to leave the house and call authorities.
Police responded to the scene and created a perimeter around the house, but they were unable to located the suspect.
The response was also assisted by the San Jose Police Department, which sent a helicopter, and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, which sent a K9, authorities added.
The investigation found that the suspect had smashed the glass rear door to enter, authorities said. They do not yet know whether the suspects stole any items.
A third burglary was reported at 10:15 p.m. occurring on 1000 block of Cardinal Way, authorities said. This time, the suspect entered the house by smashing a rear window while the resident was not home.
The resident reported that “several items” of jewelry were stolen, authorities added.
Police added that most residential robberies occur during daytime hours when residents are likely to be away.
“If you have a side yard gate, police recommend putting a lock on it to prevent easy unauthorized access to your property,” authorities said in a statement. “Police also recommend securing all windows and doors overnight. If you choose to hide a key outside your residence in the event you ever get locked out, recognize that involves a potential risk; as an alternative, consider leaving a spare house key with a trusted neighbor.”
Anyone with further information on this incident is asked to contact police at the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. People can also send an anonymous tip via voicemail or text to 650-383-8984 or through the TipNow-Palo Alto app.