San Marino Burglary Arrests: How to Stop Home Burglars and Prowlers
Updated: 3 days ago
The best way to stop home burglars and prowlers is to make your property hard to enter and easy to watch: lock every gate, light the back and sides of the house, keep cameras on driveways and rear doors, and add visible patrol presence when there is activity nearby. In San Marino, police arrested two people on October 22, 2026, after a resident found an intruder inside a home on Los Robles Avenue, and officers patrolling the same street caught a second suspect at the house hours later.
Key takeaways
On October 22, 2026, a San Marino resident found an unknown person inside their home in the 2300 block of Los Robles Avenue, with items already moved outside, according to the San Marino Police Department's weekly report published by The San Marino Weekly on October 26, 2026.
A man was arrested for residential burglary and trespassing. About three and a half hours later, officers patrolling the area because of that burglary found a vehicle in the rear driveway of the same home and arrested a woman on the same charges.
The same weekly report listed a prowler walking from the rear of a home on Oak Knoll Avenue to the front door on October 21, and a package cut open on a porch on Los Robles Avenue on October 18.
On October 25, a trespasser on Wembley Road tried to reach a backyard but was stopped by a locked gate.
Simple steps, such as locked gates, lighting, cameras and patrols, made the difference in these reports.
What happened in the San Marino burglary on October 22, 2026?
A resident in the 2300 block of Los Robles Avenue saw an unknown person inside their home without permission at 12:33 p.m. on October 22, 2026. Several items had already been taken out of the house and set outside. Police arrested a man for residential burglary (Penal Code 459) and trespassing, and booked him at Pasadena City Jail.
The case did not end there. At 4:01 p.m. the same day, officers were patrolling the neighborhood because of the earlier burglary. They saw an unfamiliar vehicle parked in the driveway at the rear of the same home, with a woman backing it out. Officers detained her and arrested her for residential burglary and trespassing. She was also booked at Pasadena City Jail.
These details come from the San Marino Police Department's weekly report for October 18 to 24, 2026, published by The San Marino Weekly on October 26, 2026. It listed 613 calls for service and one residential burglary. The next week's report, published November 2, listed zero burglaries for October 25 to 31.
Why do burglars return to the same house?
Burglars often return to a house because they know the layout, know items are waiting, or believe the owner has not yet secured the property. In the San Marino case, a second suspect arrived in the rear driveway hours after the first arrest, near where items had been staged outside. The first few hours and days after a break-in are a high-risk window.
After any break-in or attempted entry, owners should:
Change or rekey locks if keys, openers or codes could be exposed.
Bring in anything that was moved or staged outside.
Repair broken doors, windows and gates the same day.
Ask for extra patrol checks for the next several nights.
Save all camera footage and share it with police.
How do prowlers check out a home before a burglary?
Prowlers usually walk the property to look for open gates, unlocked side doors, dark areas and signs that no one is home. The San Marino reports show this pattern: on October 21, a person in a hooded sweatshirt and dark gloves walked from the rear of a home on Oak Knoll Avenue, up the driveway and toward the front door before leaving.
Warning signs include unknown people walking up driveways or side yards, people sitting in parked cars for long periods, unexpected "workers" asking for payment and packages opened on porches.
The same weekly report described a person who came to a San Marino home twice asking for payment for vehicle repairs that were never done. Never pay or open the gate for a visitor you did not schedule. Ask for a company name and confirm it yourself.
How can homeowners protect a large property from burglary?
Large homes need layered protection because they have more doors, more yard space and more hidden areas than a typical house. The goal is to slow a burglar down, make them visible and get help on the way. Locks and gates come first, then lighting and cameras, then people watching the property.
| Layer | What to do | Why it works | |---|---|---| | Gates and doors | Lock side and rear gates; use deadbolts on every exterior door | A locked gate stopped the Wembley Road trespasser on October 25 | | Lighting | Motion lights at rear doors, driveways and side yards | Prowlers avoid being seen | | Cameras | Cover driveways, rear doors and porches; check that recordings save | Footage helps police and deters return visits | | Landscaping | Trim hedges near windows and doors | Removes hiding spots | | Patrol presence | Random patrol checks or an on-site guard | Visible checks catch people in the act, as in the October 22 arrest |
Our post on the Hacienda Heights gated community burglary covers more lessons for estate owners.
Do security patrols really help?
Yes. The second San Marino arrest happened because officers were patrolling the street after the first burglary. A private patrol works the same way on a smaller scale: random, visible checks of gates, doors and driveways at different times make it harder for anyone to come back unseen. Overnight patrols are available in many areas; contact us to confirm.
When should a homeowner hire a private security guard?
A homeowner should consider a private guard after a break-in, while traveling, during construction or renovation, or when a home holds high-value art, jewelry or collections. A guard adds eyes on the property at the hours that matter most, checks gates and doors, and reports suspicious people to police before a problem grows.
Options include:
On-site guard: Best during travel, events or the days right after a burglary. See our private home security guard service.
Random patrol checks: Good for ongoing deterrence at a lower cost.
Neighborhood or HOA patrol: Neighbors share the cost of a patrol for the whole street or community. Learn about our HOA security services.
What should property owners and managers in San Marino do now?
San Marino homeowners and property managers should walk their property this week, lock and check every gate, test lights and cameras, and decide whether patrol checks or a guard make sense, especially for homes left empty during the holidays. Neighbors on the same street can also compare notes and share the cost of patrols.
A short action list:
Lock all side and rear gates, and keep them locked.
Test motion lights and camera recordings at the rear of the house.
Hold packages at a pickup point or use a lockbox.
Do not pay or admit unscheduled visitors.
Get a quote for patrol checks or a guard. Learn about our security services in San Marino.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I find someone inside my home?
Leave if you can, get to a safe place and call 911. Do not confront the intruder. Note what they look like and any vehicle, and share camera footage with police afterward.
Do burglars come back after a break-in?
Sometimes. In San Marino on October 22, 2026, a second suspect arrived at the same home hours after the first arrest. Secure the property quickly and ask for extra patrol checks.
Are locked gates really effective?
Yes. A locked gate is one of the cheapest barriers. On October 25, 2026, a trespasser on Wembley Road in San Marino tried to reach a backyard but was stopped by a locked gate.
What is the difference between patrol checks and an on-site guard?
Patrol checks are random visits several times a night. An on-site guard stays at the property for the full shift. Many homeowners start with patrols and add a guard during travel or after an incident.
About the author
Samantha Stephens leads SGV Patrol, a security company serving the San Gabriel Valley since 2012. SGV Patrol is Licensed, BSIS PPO #17353. You can verify our license on the California DCA license search.
Get a home security plan in San Marino
Want to keep prowlers off your property? Call SGV Patrol at (626) 727-1592 for a security assessment. Calls are answered 24/7.
Sources: The San Marino Weekly, "Weekly Crime Report | October 18 – 24, 2026: San Marino Police Dept. (SMPD)," October 26, 2026; The San Marino Weekly, "Weekly Crime Report | October 25 – 31, 2026: San Marino Police Dept. (SMPD)," November 2, 2026.
Cover photo: "San Marino, California (14514396281)" by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0.
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