Danville homes ransacked in alarming, sometimes violent crime rise

DANVILLE, Calif. (KTVU) - There has been an alarming rise in crime in one East Bay town known more for its sleepy peaceful feel than for anything dangerous. A recent spike in property crimes has Danville Police calling for vigilance, while victims of violent crimes are still rattled.

Danville is an affluent town that straddles Interstate 680, but sometimes with wealth comes people who want to steal it. "They stole my fiancée’s…all her jewelry, all my computers, laptops, every iPad, ransacked the whole house," said Casey Scherer of Danville.

And things got worse for him because he interrupted the burglary last month. "There was someone standing at my front door with a gun pointed at me. I immediately ran down the street and jumped into my neighbor's bushes," he said.

Scherer was unhurt, but the thieves took all the loot, and a handgun, which he thinks was pointed at him. "It was a game changer for me, lifestyle wise. I've lived here for 10 years and kind of always had an open door policy with my friends and family. No one ever knocked, just kind of came in, and it's not that way anymore," he explained, adding that he has dramatically upped his home security system, as well.

Danville Police say property crimes are up 25 percent over a year ago, but another case they worked on last month was an armed robbery around 3 p.m. in a posh neighborhood. "Danville resident was at his house and was approached by a subject with a gun and they demanded his property. Ultimately, he ended up giving him his Rolex," said Danville Police Lt. Allan Shields.

KTVU talked with the homeowner who didn't want to be identified, and she said the robbers even stole the key to the couple's Ferrari. "He did a very good thing, he ran away from the suspects and he had left his Ferrari there," explained Lt. Shields.

Police have arrested no one in either crime, but they did arrest two men with a gun a few days later down the street from the Ferrari incident. "There are these predators out there that will take your property that will accost you. And to let them know to be vigilant and to make those reports to police," warned Lt. Shields.

Police have yet to tie the two suspects arrested with the gun to any other crime.