Westlake Police Holding Safety Seminar After Burglaries

WESTLAKE, OH — After a string of residential burglaries, Westlake police will hold a seminar on how to protect your home.

The Zoom webinar will be held Feb. 16. Police will give attendees tips on safeguarding their home and property and how to reduce crime in their neighborhoods. The event is free, but registration is required for attendees.

If requested, Westlake police will also do a safety evaluation for homes and businesses. You can schedule an appointment by contacting jdancy@westlakepolice.us.

Since Jan. 22, there have been five burglaries in Westlake and most have happened at the west end of the city. Homes on Lexington Court, Prince Charles, Inverness Circle, Forest Lake Drive and Royal Woods were broken into.

All targeted homes were unoccupied when the burglars got inside, police said.

The break-ins happened in the early evening hours, after dark, police said. Police believe most of the burglaries have happened between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., when many residents are still awake.

"The suspects appear to be walking through backyards and have been seen with flashlights. We are still trying to develop better descriptions of suspects or an involved vehicle," police said.

The burglaries are not isolated to Westlake, but may also be impacting nearby cities.