Woman's Swift Call to Police Leads to Arrest of 3 Would-Be Burglars

El Cerrito Police officials say three Oakland men were arrested on Jan. 29 after they allegedly tried to break into a woman's home for the second time in two weeks.

Police credit the woman, who lives in the 6700 block of Schmidt Lane, for quickly calling police to report the attempted burglary.

The woman told police that she recognized the suspects as being the three men who been to her home two weeks earlier. During that incident, the men first rang her doorbell, then went to the backyard and tried to break into the house through the rear door but fled the area before police arrived.

According to police, the swift call on Wednesday led to the arrest of the three men found at the victim's home, who they say may be linked to other burglaries in El Cerrito. One of the suspects had an outstanding warrant for the 2012 residential burglary an El Cerrito home. 

Arrested were: Patrick Phanh, 23, Jamy Xaysana, 25, and Kao Saelee who is 19 years old. All three suspects were from Oakland. Police say the men were taken to the Martinez Detention Center. 

According to a Nixle Alert, El Cerrito officials gave kudos to the woman's swift call to police.

The ECPD encourages people to do what the resident did in these cases. She saw persons committing a crime and she promptly called the police. Her quick actions prevented them from entering her home and lead to their capture.