Neighborhood hires its own security because of lack of patrols by sheriff

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer

Menlo Oaks residents feel abandoned by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office following an increase in attempted burglaries in the community, and as a result have hired their own security guards.

“We were not getting adequate response from the sheriff, so we decided to figure out our own securi-ty,” said resident Jessica Gilmartin.

Residents have spent over $100,000 in hiring private security and security cameras, Gilman said.

Residents of the unincorporated neighborhood between Menlo-Atherton High School and Bay Road relies on the San Mateo County sheriff’s office for policing. But because there is no dedicated officer for the neighborhood, if someone calls the police it can take them up to 15 minutes to arrive, Gilmartin said, causing for residents to feel abandoned by the Sheriff’s Office.

Menlo Oaks receives regular patrols and has a timely response to calls, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker said. The sheriff’s office is actively monitoring trends to respond more effectively, according to Spiker.

The sheriff’s office did not respond to questions about how often Menlo Oaks is patrolled.

Mystery car

On Friday, a car without headlights on was driving slowly, and the driver knocked on four doors and sped away after one resident answered the door, Gilmartin said.

With the cameras residents had installed, they were able to get the car’s license plate and report it to the sheriff’s office, Gilmartin said.

Detective Eliot Storch told residents yesterday he would look into the mystery car, but he is limited on what he can do because no crime was committed, according to an email exchange sent to the Post by Gilmartin. Storch said he did look into the car and did not find it to be connected to any reported burglaries, and urged residents to call the sheriff’s office immediately next time.

“It has been very frustrating for us as a community to spend so much of our own time and resources in an attempt to keep our homes safe, while we’ve gotten no support from the county,” Gilmartin said.

Neighborhood’s involvement

The neighborhood created a group chat with over 100 residents, focusing on security and safety issues, and over 200 families paying for things like cameras and security guards, Gilmartin said. There are approximately three to four burglaries per year, but between Nov. 23 and Feb. 25, there was a spike to six, prompting residents to hire their own private security, Gilmartin said. Security guards patrol the neighborhood four nights a week and on holidays.

Residents also bought street-facing cameras to help each other when there is suspicious activity.

Last year, there were three home burglaries compared to two this year, according to Speiker.

Gilmartin said there has been an increase in attempted burglaries that have caused concern among residents, and they want more patrols.

Resident Greg Vontz, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years, said he only sees the sheriff patrol the area when an issue is reported or to manage traffic near Menlo-Atherton High School.

Resident Richard McDougall said he has seen a police patrol six times over the 13 years he’s lived in the neighborhood. McDougall had a trailer and tools stolen in 2022.

He says private security guards have reduced the attempted burglaries.

With their security, residents are still concerned about the response times after an incident happens.

Police arrive in between five to 15 minutes, McDougall said. He said the long response time could be one reason why Menlo Oaks is highly targeted by burglars.

“It would not surprise me if it’s part of some criminal’s playbook,” McDougall said. “Even if an alarm is going off and people are standing out front screaming, it just takes that long to get someone here.”

Gilmartin said she worries about leaving her children at home and them not noticing a burglar come in.

“It’s this feeling of extreme frustration and this feeling that we are not safe in our own neighborhood, which is a difficult feeling when you have kids, Gilmartin said.

McDougall said he has seen a police patrol six times over the 13 years he’s lived in the neighborhood. McDougall had a trailer and tools stolen in 2022.

He says with the security the community has invested in, there has been a reduction in attempted burglaries.

With their security, residents are still concerned about the response times after an incident happens.

Police arrive in between five to 15 minutes, McDougall said. He said the long response time could be one reason why Menlo Oaks is highly targeted.

“It would not surprise me if it’s part of some criminal’s playbook,” McDougall said. “Even if an alarm is going off and people are standing out front screaming, it just takes that long to get someone here.”

Gilmartin said she has a feeling of “extreme frustration” with the lack of patrols by the sheriff. … this feeling that we are not safe in our own neighborhood, which is a difficult feeling when you have kids.”

Want sheriff out

Vontz said he hopes the removal of County Sheriff Christina Corpus comes to an end so the neighborhood can get more community support.

Vontz said the removal process has been a huge distraction for Corpus as she isn’t spending a lot of time in the community and more on “her own politics and personal defense.”

Corpus is facing removal from the Board of Supervisors and the civil grand jury. Supervisors are waiting for the recommendation of the hearing from hearing officer retired Judge James Emerson on whether to remove Corpus on allegations including nepotism, conflicts of interest, retaliation, false arrest and using homophobic and racial slurs.

The civil grand jury has filed four “accusations” against Corpus that could lead to her removal.