An alert business owner and a fast response from the Burbank Police Department caused a team of 4th of July burglars to beat a hasty retreat and leave their loot behind.
The Police Communications Center received a call from the owner of the Electronics Depot & Repair, at 11 p.m. Thursday, reporting that his surveillance cameras had detected a burglary in progress. Officers immediately went to the business at 919 N. Isabel St.
As more units arrived and attempted to surround the area, the owner kept updating the Communications Center on the burglars’ activity, until one of the burglars knocked out the video camera. The owner reported seeing four suspects dressed in khakis and white, wearing black masks. He could see a white van being loaded with dozens of new laptop computers, cameras, and other electronics.
The burglars had cut a hole in the business’ large overhead door and crawled inside. They apparently were careful not to set off the alarm as they took an estimated 100 laptop computers and other items outside to the van. When officers entered the business, they found that the suspects were not inside.
The van and the merchandise were left behind at the business. Police determined that the van appeared to have been stolen from a business located just a couple of blocks away in the 1000 block on N. Lake St.. It’s ignition had been punched out, and the engine was left running. The van was impounded so police could check for any fingerprints.
Although police attempted to surround the area, the suspects had apparently escaped by climbing over a rear wall into neighbor business property and fleeing the area when the first police car arrived in the area. The case will be turned over to the detectives for investigation.
