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| Car burglars are equal opportunity criminals, not limited to Coastside Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 2:26 PM PDT Headlines can be deceiving. In a matter of days, the Half Moon Bay Police announced arrests in a pair of auto burglary capers that could close many open cases in the vicinity. Add to that a low hum of complaints about thefts from cars parked in Midcoast neighborhoods and it’s easy to believe the Coastside is a special target for such thieves. The numbers tell a different story, however. Review staff writer Greg Thomas matched statistics gathered from the California Department of Justice with population figures culled from the U.S. Census Bureau and found that Half Moon Bay car owners are actually less likely than most San Mateo County residents to be the victims of theft from a motor vehicle. His report appears on Page 1A of today’s newspaper. Paired with that story is a profile of Robert Fraser, who was nabbed with a load of stolen goods in the backseat of his car. He may not fit your picture of the average car burglar; he is an engaging young man, a longtime Coastsider who was involved in school activities while a student. It’s a sad story that we sincerely hope one day has a happy ending. Fraser faces charges for crimes that he admits, but he appears to be facing them head-on. He told reporter Mark Noack that he was re-entering a drug rehab program. Which may or may not provide any solace to his victims. We tried to paint a more complete portrait of Fraser so that we might all understand his mistakes a little better. We certainly didn’t attempt to sugarcoat his behavior. One more thing: Please lock your car. And take the valuables with you. The lion’s share of car burglaries are crimes of opportunity. Protect yourself. — Clay Lambert |