good post Aaron..thanks for informing us about the break-ins

I was stumped by the BART comment? Hasn't there been a Pleasanton bart station for a long time now?

Confused, yes there has been a BART in Pleasanton for a long time, but I think it's now a case of 'not in my back yard'

How about not leaving valuables like purses in your vehicle. I don't wish a break in on anyone but if you take away the opportunity then away goes the bad guys.

Common sense people!!

Great post Aaron. Thanks for keeping us informed.

Great comment about the new BART Station as it relates to increased crime. Didn't our city leaders talk to the city of San Leandro and the owners of the Bayfair Mall before building this station? If they had I would think they would have found there was a big spike in crime when the BART station was built years ago. What makes them think that it will be any different in Pleasanton? I would hope that Pleasanton PD increases patrols in the housing developments in the vicinity of Stoneridge mall. Are we being overly protective concerning our neighborhoods? Maybe, but if past experiences are correct we should be concerned.

No, BART trains have NOT been here that long considering many of us have lived in Pleasanton for over 20 years. I also agree that crime has risen since the BART trains have been extended out to Pleasanton.

Maybe aaron is the thief?

Hi. I live just one neighborhood over from Highland Oaks in the Stoneson/Stoneridge homes. A few weeks ago I noticed someone (who happened coincidentally to be African-American), canvassing my neighborhood on a weekday afternoon around 1:30 pm. Why would someone be going door-to-door in the middle of the afternoon, before kids are home from school, before people are home from work? I don't care what color your skin is, honestly. I called the police to alert them, and indirectly was accused of racial profiling! I'm sick and tired of people being dropped off into my neighborhood, sometimes they come in vans with a crew leader, selling magazines, candy, etc. door to door. They ignore "no solicitor signs" as if they don't know what that means. I'm just waiting for the day something happens like a break-in or another car burglary. It won't be a suprise, won't be the first or the last. When you leave expensive personal items in your car or in view of your windows, you should not be suprised when this happens. Times are tough, and people are prowling our neighborhoods while the police ignore our requests for them to just check out these people to see if they have legitimate reasons to be checking if we are home or not! These "solicitors" seem to have more rights than we do. They trespass onto our property, and we are supposed to be okay with it. I don't think so!

Sam. are you a idiot. seriously. i come here to warn people who live in the neighborhod and you say. "Maybe aaron is the thief?" . someone should slap some sense into that thick knoggin of yours.
crime definately increases with bart. though crime will come our way either way, considering the value of our city. and the incomes made by those who live here. it seems we are making it too easy these days. a car alarm and doors locked, and we are being foolish? doubt so. i have a 2 car garage that really only fits one. we have 4 vehicles in our home. so i can only leave one safe. 2 christmas' ago, my care trunk got poped in the same neighborhood, or possibly the mall shopping. either way same general vicinity. i hadn't noticed till the next morning. but my alarm did not go off. everything seemed fine until over $1000 in gifts were missing. so that's my fault too i guess.

the only reason i posted this is not to profile or get under anyones skin. simply to inform. keep an eye out and be a good neighbor. if someone is lurking around your neighbors car, and it isn't your neighbor. go outside, look directly at them. if nothing is missing , maybe they weren't doing anything wrong. but if something is , maybe, just maybe , they can be caught. i would expect since we are cutting teachers pay, but raising police pay, and buying they entire fleet new vehicles. they could be expected to do their job properly. the ratio of cops on duty is very high. but what is done? i hear alot of duis which equals revenue.understandible, that is what they go for. makes them more money. but believe me drunk people shouldn't be driving, i'm just using this as an example.
i've spoken to some of my neighbors, and we all agree to help eachother. we have neighborhood watch signs everywhere. and i remember when you could really tell. now most people don't care to know anything about their neighbors, let alone have to deal with anything that isn't directly related to them. but it does. just look out a window, or go outside, is that too much to ask, and to do to be a good neighbor.

and it is definately an issue of in my back yard. one is enough. castro valley only has one. why have more. owens is a very central location and only 2 miles from the new station. plus there is buses. so while the surroundings get worse. let's make ourselves good people, and good neighbors

I've heard that there were additional break-ins to cars during the evening hours this week, plus an attempted break-in to at least one home during mid-morning hours. I hope the police department and the Pleasanton Weekly don't bury these reports; residents should be made aware to be on the alert ... that's the job of the police - keep citizens and their property safe -- and the newspaper - to report the news, not just the good news.

Neighbors have had their car broken into, and the police confirmed this is a new trend. So why is there nothing reported here in the paper? I understand that the Pleasanton Weekly wants to keep the image of our town as Pleasantville, but it does NO service to the citizens to sweep this trend and any pertinent information (that might prevent future incidents and damage) under the rug!

Would someone please step up to the plate?

i've heard of more burglaries!!!! goog job ppd, way to patrol for those who pay your bills. seriously is it that hard, just drive through. i remember growing up here especially in high school, if we were walking they would stop us. maybe that's only cause we were white kids. they felt they could harrass. but now we have some people that need to be. shoot, maybe set up a sting car. do i really have to watch cops, in order to tell them how to do there jobs.

yesterday i had a solicitor, that fits the decrisption of the perps, come by my house. i was very rude closed the door on him, and made sure he saw my dog who would attack any intruder in a second. after i went outside and play hoops, watching him canvas the streets. i haven't heard anyone from our block being burglarized.but am going to keep my ears open. maybe if you make sure they know you are looking at them. they leave your street alone.

Well, I'm not certain of what happened, but I heard there was yet another break-in Tuesday, March 3rd on Springdale Ave. in the afternoon, with a large number of police cars parked outside a house. Is there any truth to this? WAS this yet one more incident in the Highland Oaks/Muirwood area? And why have NONE of these been reported in the paper (I ask again) so that residents are alerted to what is going on?

Grace, so sad to tell you that the incident on Springdale on Tuesday afternoon was the sudden death of a dear man, an original owner, in our neighborhood.

I'm very saddened to hear that - what a loss that will be to your neighborhood - my condolences to the family, friends and neighbors.

And I'm also very sorry that the rumor mill made this out to be something it wasn't; it seems that in the absence of information and timely news postings in the Pleasanton Weekly - both happy events and very sad ones like this - that people see something, but don't know what happened (in this case, many police cars outside a home) and try to explain it on their own.

Again, apologies all around.