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STANSBURY PARK — A recent rash of vehicle and home burglaries in Stansbury Park has unnerved residents, and they’re now banding together on the streets and social media to ensure the burglars are caught and the spree comes to an end.
The latest break-in came Thursday at an LDS church located at 5988 Bayshore Drive.
“Looked out the window and saw the window for the church was busted out,” said Sue Zarogoza, whose backyard neighbors the church parking lot.
As the alarm sounded, Zaragoza called police. Another neighbor spotted a teen walking away wearing a backpack. A third woman, Caroline Lambert, posted a message with a physical description on the Stansbury Park Residents Group on Facebook.
“Stansbury Park residents!” the message read. “We have had a break in at the Bayshore Church House. Please be looking for young man wearing black shorts a red shirt a gray hoodie running toward Christopher Street. If you see anyone matching this description please call 911.”
Not long afterward, Tooele County Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Johnson said another neighbor spotted a 15-year-old boy hiding in a yard. Officers took him into custody.
“It was because of them that we caught him,” Johnson said.
That was the good news for residents. The bad news, according to investigators, is they believe others are responsible for 11 other home and vehicle burglaries over the past three weeks in Stansbury Park.
Johnson said in two cases, the burglars stole garage door openers out of cars and then returned to the homes when the residents were gone. In one case, the burglars continued to break into the home.
Investigators said in other cases, the burglars have stolen credit cards and have attempted to use them in the Salt Lake Valley.
“A lot of thinking is going into it — to actually do that, and to come back and be that brazen,” Johnson said.
Several homeowners told KSL they had stepped up their vigilance and taken countermeasures on their properties.
Lambert said her family has moved its cars.
“We’ve tried to keep the cars in the garages just for that reason and make sure the doors and windows are always locked,” Lambert said.
Thursday night, more than two dozen residents met at a clubhouse to organize a Neighborhood Watch program that they hoped to expand in the coming days.
“Everybody’s going to start watching out for each other,” Zarogoza said. “These people are going to get caught pretty soon.”
Johnson said detectives were not sure if the burglars responsible for the spree are teens or adults. He said taking the garage door openers and coming back and using them later suggested they may be older.
The descriptions of the burglars are somewhat vague. Johnson said two neighbors believed they spotted them wearing black hoodies and riding longboards. One of the burglars is said to be about 6-feet tall. The other is said to be shorter.
Anybody with information about the burglary cases is asked to call the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office at 435-882-5600.
