Police Seek Clues to Identity of Serial Burglar in Garden Grove

Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a man they believe is responsible for burglarizing 35 to 40 homes in the city since January.

Although the man usually takes cash from purses or wallets, he has also broken into several homes and not taken anything. This has led police to believe that he is also looking to sexually assault women who are home alone.

Police suspect that the burglar is possibly the same man who sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint during a break-in in March. They did not say whether the woman was raped.

The man typically strikes between 2 and 5 a.m. and has been forcing his way into homes through rear kitchen windows or sliding glass doors.

Police said the burglar has established a pattern of entering a neighborhood and breaking into several homes on the same night and probably cuts through the back yards of the homes between burglaries.

Although police say they have some physical evidence, their description of the man is sketchy. He is described as being either white or Latino, 25 to 30 years old and 5 feet, 7 inches to 6 feet tall.

He usually wears dark clothes, a heavy jacket and a headband during the burglaries. During at least one break-in, he wore a mask.

Police are advising residents to make sure their homes are locked and secure at all times. They also ask to be contacted immediately by any resident who hears suspicious noises or dogs barking or who sees something unusual in the early morning hours.

The burglaries have all taken place in the south-central area of the city.