Vestavia Hills, Hoover police investigate burglary spree

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Vestavia Hills and Hoover police today said they are investigating nine daytime residential burglaries that occurred in their cities Tuesday, Jan. 30, and may be related.

Four of the burglaries were in Vestavia Hills, and five were in Hoover, police said.

The Vestavia Hills burglaries occurred off Tyler Road in the vicinity of Twin Branch Drive, Van Buren Drive and Winwood Drive, Vestavia Hills police said.

Two of the Hoover burglaries were in the Regent Forest community in the Shades Mountain area, while the others were in Russet Woods, the Green Valley/Country Club Highlands area and an area near the intersection of Shades Crest Road and Alabama 150.

No one was home in any of the burglaries, police said. Vestavia Hills police said at least three suspects were involved in the burglaries in their city. Video surveillance obtained by police shows a dark-colored four-door Nissan car with a bumper sticker on the rear bumper.

In each of the Hoover cases, it appears the burglars forced their way into a rear or side door, police said. The burglars mostly took electronics, such as TV screens, computers, video game systems and electronic tablets, Lt. Keith Czeskleba said.

Police are asking anyone with home video surveillance or other information that might be related to Tuesday’s burglaries to call the Vestavia Hills Police Department at 978-0140. People also can text anonymous tips to 274637 with the keyword vhpd, Capt. Brian Gilham said.

Police also are reminding residents to make sure all their doors and windows are locked and secure and to make sure that burglar alarms and video surveillance systems are functioning properly and activated. Police also encourage people to write down the make, model and serial numbers of items in their homes and to take photographs of heirlooms or jewelry and store them in a safe place.