Incident Report: Suspicious Individual in the Community

This morning at around 8:25AM, the Castleman gate Post Commander (S/O Janeth Ortiz) received multiple reports of a suspicious individual near the Clifden/Durham Ct area.

Following protocol, S/O Ortiz immediately contacted Burbank Police Department and they arrived on site with several BPD patrol vehicles at 8:39AM to investigate.

The suspicious individual eventually made his way up to Lismore where police (with the assistance of a diligent homeowner), were able to locate him and detain him for a mental evaluation. BPD left the community with the individual in custody at 9:14AM.

After review of the security camera footage at Castleman gate, the individual did not enter through the Castleman pedestrian gates and most likely entered via the fire access road off of Lamer onto Durham Ct.

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Please note, S/O Ortiz received several angry comments from residents complaining that she should be the one to investigate and remove the individual.

Since S/O Ortiz was the only officer on duty at the time, she followed proper protocol by immediately calling Burbank Police Department who responded quickly and apprehended the individual.

FAQs we have received:

Why didn’t the officer on duty at the Castleman gate leave their post and investigate the suspicious individual?

  • Between the hours of 10PM - 10AM, we have only one officer on duty (at the Castleman gate) and they are not allowed to leave their post for any reason, at any time per the conditions of our gate permit. The officer on duty followed proper protocol by contacting Burbank Police Department immediately.

What about the officer on duty at Wedgewood? Could they have responded?

  • Between the hours of 10AM - 10PM, there is an additional officer on duty staffing the Wedgewood gate. If this incident had occurred during the hours this additional officer is on duty, the officer on duty at Wedgewood would have been able to respond to the incident in their patrol vehicle and observe the situation until Burbank Police responded on site.

If I see a suspicious individual or vehicle, how do I contact the access control officers on duty to report?

If you see a crime being committed, call 911 immediately.

To contact the officers on duty:

Reminder: Burbank Hill Community Association does not undertake to provide security or privacy for the property, the owners, the residents, any invitees, or any persons or property located within the development, nor does the association make any representations or warranties concerning the security, privacy and/or safety of the property, the owners, the residents, any invitees, or any persons or property located within the development, irrespective of whether there are any access control devices installed and operated in the common area of the development or access control personnel employed or engaged by the association.