Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) burglary detectives served search warrants on Nov. 6 at several Long Beach residences and recovered stolen property taken in at least one residential burglary, and detectives believe some of property belongs to victims who have yet to be identified.
According to LBPD, the investigation stemmed from a routine traffic stop on Oct. 21 in the area of Pacific Coast Highway and Cherry Avenue. When the officer learned the driver was unlicensed, he began preparing to impound the vehicle. Conducting an inventory search of the vehicle, the officer located several computers in the vehicle that were ultimately determined to have been stolen from a Long Beach residence earlier in the day.
At that time, the driver, identified as 19-year-old Trayon Gaston of Long Beach, was arrested for receiving stolen property. Three other occupants in the vehicle were released at the scene.
Burglary detectives continued with the investigation, which ultimately led to the serving of search warrants on Nov. 6 at four Long Beach residences located in: the 1700 block of Orizaba Avenue, the 1500 block of E. 5th Street, the 2600 block of Magnolia Avenue and the 1900 block of Pine Avenue.
As a result of the search warrants, the LBPD took five individuals into custody and recovered an assortment of property that included nine firearms, cash, marijuana, electronics and jewelry, including several high-end watches. Four of the recovered guns have all been identified as loss from one Long Beach burglary; however, the owner(s) of other property have yet to be identified.
The five suspects were booked on various charges that ranged from residential burglary to possession of an illegal assault weapon, and are as follows: Gaston, for residential burglary and possession of marijuana for sale; 19-year-old Cartier Anderson of Long Beach, for residential burglary and possession of marijuana for sale; 36-year-old Jay Holms of Long Beach, for receiving stolen property, possession of illegal assault weapon and possession of gun with altered serial number; a 16-year-old Long Beach resident, for residential burglary; and a 17-year-old Long Beach resident, for residential burglary.
Detectives believe these individuals may have also committed burglaries outside of Long Beach. Those who believe their property may have been recovered during this operation should contact the Long Beach Police Burglary Detail at (562) 570-7353. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting lacrimestoppers.org .
Burglary-prevention tips from the LBPD
In light of recent residential-burglary arrests, the Long Beach Police Department has shared the following tips:
• Keep doors and windows locked at all times
• Meet your neighbors, as this makes it easier to recognize a person who doesn’t belong, and neighbors that communicate are more likely to look out for one another
• Report loiterers— loitering is often a precursor activity for burglars, enabling them to case the area
• Immediately report suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1, and be sure to get a good description of any subjects or vehicles
• Keep shrubbery trimmed down around your home to prevent hiding places
• Keep any gates to back yards locked at all times
• Request a free “vacation check” by contacting the Senior Police Partner volunteers at (562) 570-7212
• Be sure your house number is visible from the street so police or emergency personnel can locate your residence quickly
• Keep porch lights on at night— this makes any suspicious persons visible, as well as your house number
•When away for extended periods, make sure your home has the “lived in” look— have lights on timers, ask a neighbor to park in your driveway and make arrangements for newspapers, mail, and fliers that may accumulate
• Install motion-sensor lighting around your property, including on garages that may face alleyways
• Keep garage doors locked and closed at all times; open doors allow potential suspects to take inventory of the contents of your garage
Source: LBPD
