Irvine police issue warning after series of residential burglaries over 35 days

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- Police in Irvine are warning people to be on alert after a series of burglaries over the past month.

There have been 34 residential burglaries in the past 35 days, the Irvine Police Department said in an Instagram post over the weekend.

"It's really scary," said Orange County resident Melissa Hickman. "It's really uneasy. I feel like Irvine is one of those cities where you're supposed to feel safe. That's why people live here. That's why we're here in Orange County, so I mean the fact that it's not really being talked about is kind of scary."

Authorities say the suspects are knocking down or disabling security cameras on the properties they target. They're also climbing to the second story of those homes and entering through windows or doors.

"Well, I was surprised because I've never heard of a concentration of robberies in Irvine, because it's generally pretty peaceful around here," said Irvine resident Lee Arthur.

If there's a stranger at your door, police say you should communicate with them through your camera or from behind your door. It's also recommended that you set your lights on timers so it looks like your home is occupied.

"I've got cameras in my house all around," said Irvine resident John Peterson. "Other than that, my neighborhood is pretty good, I think, because ... we've all been in the same troop for a long time, so everyone knows each other and looks out for each other, at least on my street so."