Police investigate spree of 12 Petaluma car burglaries in 2.5 hours

Petaluma police believe that a dozen car burglaries that occurred over a span of two and a half hours in retail parking lots near Highway 101 on Thursday are connected.

Police received reports of the 12 burglaries between 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., said Lt. Tim Lyons. Almost all the cars had their windows smashed, with laptops, purses and backpacks reported stolen.

The first few burglaries occurred in retail parking lots near In-N-Out Burger on Lakeville Highway and the Gateway Plaza Shopping Center. A little while later, five burglaries were reported in the parking lot near Cattlemen’s Steakhouse on Petaluma Boulevard North, and three more in a lot near the closed Orchard Supply Hardware on North McDowell Boulevard. Another burglary was reported in the lot near the Petaluma Golf Center on Stony Point Road.

Lyons said that police believe the incidents are connected, and may have been committed by the same suspect or suspects.

Similar car burglaries sprees occurred in Cotati and Rohnert Park on Thursday night, Lyons said. Police in those cities did not issue any press releases on the reported crimes.

Lyons said officers have identified a white Dodge SUV as a possible vehicle involved in the burglaries.

You can reach Staff Writer Chantelle Lee at 707-521-5337 or chantelle.lee@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ChantelleHLee.