Sonoma County Vacation Homes Targeted by Burglars

Sonoma County, Calif., sheriff’s officials say burglars have been targeting clusters of unoccupied vacation homes, making off with electronics and furniture.

Sgt. Mike Raasch said this week that detectives have received 52 reports of burglarized houses since September from Sonoma Valley to the Russian River and Bodega Bay.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported Wednesday that in some cases, the same home has been hit twice or even three times.

Raasch would not say how the burglars might be finding the vacant vacation homes, citing the ongoing investigation.

But some managers of vacation homes say thieves may be following popular websites where owners advertise their properties. Such sites often list where homes are located and when they’re available.

The newspaper says the latest area to be targeted is Bodega Harbour, which has seen seven recent burglaries.