By Katie Allegretti
 On July 4th, burglars took advantage of evening celebrations and victimized a home on Vercelli Way. But thanks to some excellent detective work and quick work by Sorrento Security, LAPD was able to arrest two suspects.
In the past several years, the HOA Security Committee has budgeted for extra security during summer holiday weekends. The Fourth of July in particular poses substantial security challenges because of the influx of guests taking advantage of our spectacular views of the fireworks show and high demand in our pool and picnic areas. The extra security proved indispensible this year.
The burglary victims discovered the crime when they came home from dinner at about 8:00 PM. They immediately contacted both Sorrento’s security company (Centurion) and the Los Angeles Police Department. Sorrento security was the first on the scene, sending both a patrol car and the Centurion Account Manager, Chris Asberry—a retired police officer. Asberry preserved the crime scene for LAPD detectives, who were delayed by holiday traffic. He also provided the key information leading to the suspects’ arrests.
On patrol earlier in the day, Asberry had noticed a young couple enter the backyard of another home on Lugano Way. When they came out, the woman told Asberry that she lived down the street and that they were looking for her lost dog. Asberry noted that the couple seemed very nervous and they quickly entered their car and departed. Asberry noted the license plate and the couple’s description.
LAPD detectives combined this information with the report of a visitor regarding a woman acting suspiciously near the burglarized house on Vercelli Way. Ultimately, the woman confessed to the burglary and implicated a male friend. Both were arrested.
The Board and the Security Committee believe that our primary responsibility is to keep our community safe, while minimizing any inconvenience for our guests. We would like to thank Centurion for their attention to detail and fine work to help solve this crime. They were there when we needed them. We would also like to thank the residents and their guests that took time to assist the investigation. Without their help, this may have been just another unsolved crime.
Remember, if you see something suspicious, don’t hesitate to call Sorrento Security at 818-998-7078 or LAPD on 911. And if you are going on vacation, let Security know. The patrol will pay special attention to your home while you are away.
First off, I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me. Secondly, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks everyone who worked on our campaign. I look forward to keeping my campaign promises and maintaining a united board dedicated to get things done.
The foundation of our campaign was protecting your investment, and I am committed to doing just that. As your new secretary and liaison to security, I am going to be paying special attention to safety, this includes traffic enforcement, and working closely with our fantastic security company to make sure this community remains as safe as possible. This community is also nearing its 10th year in existence, and therefore, some necessary repairs will have to be made to keep things looking beautiful, and thereby, keeping Sorrento a desirable place to live.
I am ready to work for you and this community, so please don’t hesitate to contact me using my email address on the Sorrento HOA web site, if there is some way you feel I could be of assistance to you.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve our community. I plan to work with my fellow board members and community members to improve services and home values by more wisely managing our HOA funds. Additionally, I believe that homeowners are eager for civility to be brought back to board relations, and I plan to reach out to members of the board and the community to try to make this happen. Too much time has been spent on bickering, which has distracted us from what is important – making Sorrento/Meadows a wonderful place to live for now and years to come.
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