Another home burglary in Atherton was reported earlier this week, the latest in a string of such crimes that started in late 2018, according to an Atherton Police Department press release.

On Monday, March 11, a resident of the unit block of Deodora Drive reported to the police that someone had broken a window in the rear of the resident's home and burglarized the house between March 8 and 11.

There is no estimate on losses, police Sgt. Anthony Kockler said in an email; officers are investigating the incident.

This was the first home burglary in Atherton this month, but the seventh in 2019 so far. Police have characterized the recent spike in residential burglaries over the last several months as a “rash.” About $2 million worth of goods were reported stolen in the first four incidents of the year, police said.

Police Chief Steven McCulley said Tuesday that the culprits hitting homes in Atherton may be the same people who are burglarizing residences "up and down the Peninsula."

In February, police arrested a man, Valdemar Gabriel DaRocha, suspected in the burglary of $14,000 worth of electronics from Encinal Elementary School during the first weekend of December. DaRocha is in San Mateo County jail and faces burglary and possession of stolen property charges. Police do not believe DaRocha was involved in the residential burglary spree.

There were also several auto burglaries in the Lindenwood neighborhood at the end of February as well.

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