Burglars struck nearly three-dozen Isla Vista residences in the month of July, often entering through unlocked doors to take computers and other electronic devices.

Although many Isla Vista residents have left the area for the summer, contributing to overall lower crime rates, Isla Vista Foot Patrol Sergeant Ray Vuillemainroy said the number of thefts has been similar to periods of time in the spring when the community is fully populated with students. In addition to the 35 residential burglaries in the month of July, the IVFP also received 28 reports of miscellaneous burglary and two reports of auto burglary, Vuillemainroy said.

“The biggest crimes we have been seeing this summer are burglaries,” Vuillemainroy said. “A lot of this happens while kids are out partying and having fun, forgetting to lock their doors and take their keys. … Students need to make sure that they have the keys to their residences every time they leave in order to prevent crime.”

One of the first burglaries of the month took place on July 3, when a victim awoke to the sound of footsteps in his apartment on the 800 block of Embarcadero del Norte. The resident saw a thief using the light of a cell phone to navigate the apartment before making off with a flat screen television and a computer.

Similar incidents continued throughout the month, including an instance of thieves striking two apartments in the same building on the 900 block of Camino del Sur.

In addition to investigating residential burglaries, Foot Patrol deputies also responded to several violent crimes during the month of July, including two cases of sexual assault.

Foot Patrol officers were called to the 6600 block of Del Playa Drive on July 25 after a 19-year-old man reportedly raped a woman. Vuillemainroy said the survivor was assaulted after her roommates had allowed the man into their apartment.

“He then stepped into the woman’s bedroom where he forcibly raped her,” Vuillemainroy said. “She yelled for help and her roommates rushed to her and pulled him off.”

Authorities later identified and arrested the man in an in-field line-up.

Other cases of physical assault were reported, including an incident on the evening of July 24 where three men harassed people with a stun gun at three separate parties.

“The men were threatening to stun people with a stun gun,” Vuillemainroy said. “One person was actually stunned but is okay now.”

Authorities successfully arrested the assailants.

Deputies also responded to a standard number of vandalisms and alcohol-related crimes during July. Officers wrote 28 drunk in public citations during the month and took reports of nine vandalisms.