Electronic goods are stolen

Police are investigating the connection between 14 stolen laptops from Newport Beach homes along the Balboa Peninsula since the beginning of the year, police said Tuesday.

Authorities reported that since Jan. 1, at least 21 homes from the end of the peninsula to Walnut Street on the other end have been burglarized, many of them in similar ways.

Many of the crimes occurred during evening or overnight hours, in some cases while the victims were home sleeping. The burglar or burglars typically enter through an unlocked door or window, which serves as a reminder for residents to secure their homes when they leave or before they go to bed. In two-thirds of the cases, a laptop was stolen, but in others people lost cameras, wallets, backpacks or an iPod.

Burglars need just a few moments to break into a home and steal something valuable and will strike when the opportunity presents itself, police said.

Authorities urge everyone to immediately report all suspicious people and activities to the Police Department at (949) 644-3717.

Police remind everyone to never leave their valuables in plain sight and to lock all doors and windows when going to sleep or leaving the house, if even for a few minutes.

Police offer free vacation checks on your home and will send someone by to evaluate your home security for improvements.