By Mary O’KEEFE

Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station detectives are asking residents to be aware of people knocking on doors in local neighborhoods claiming to be looking for a friend.

Four residential burglaries occurred in La Cañada on Thursday, March 31 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. One of the homes was in the 4800 block of Hillard Avenue, one in the 4800 block of Grand Avenue and two homes in the 4900 block of Indianola Way. At one of the homes on Indianola Way a man reported hearing someone knocking on his front door. He had decided not to answer it at first but the persistent knocking, jiggling of the doorknob and his dog barking caused him to go to the door.

“He saw two women had opened his door and were about six inches into his [entryway],” said Sgt. Ray Harley of the CV sheriff’s Station.

The women are described as Hispanic, well dressed, between the ages of 18 and 20. The resident asked the women what they wanted and they said they were looking for a friend by the name of Claire. The man told the women there was no one by that name at his home and the women left. He did not call the sheriff’s station at that time.

“We want to remind people when they see strangers asking for someone who does not live in the neighborhood [that] they need to contact [the sheriff’s station],” Harley said.

Often people who plan to burglarize a residence will knock on the resident’s door to determine if anyone is home. It is a way of casing the neighborhood to see what homes to burglarize, Harley added.

“[Burglary suspects] often use women to make the [initial] contact because they are less threatening,” he said.

Detectives think there may be residents in the area that either saw the women or noticed a strange car in their neighborhood.

“It is likely that these women may have been knocking on several other doors. Residents might be able to give us information and some might have them on a [home] video surveillance,” Harley said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the CV Sheriff’s Station at (818) 248-3464.

  CV Sheriffs, predators