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SAN RAMON — Home burglaries have spiked in recent weeks, and San Ramon police are asking residents to help catch the crooks in the act by reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

About 20 burglaries were reported in the city over the past two months, about twice the normal number, said police Lt. Dan Pratt.

Police said several groups were active because the thefts have continued despite four arrests; two teenage boys from Tracy and two San Ramon men in their early 20s. Many of the crimes occurred during the day. Burglars will attempt to find out if anyone is home by knocking or ringing the doorbell, Pratt said.

If no one answers, the burglars try to break in through a door or window. If someone answers the door they say they are soliciting or make up another reason for being there. In a few cases, they have also left cards at the front door and returned to the homes later. If the cards were still there, they presumed no one was home and tried to break in.

“This is a popular way to go about committing this crime,” Pratt said. “(Criminals) go to jail and talk about how they’re doing this. I bet there’s a lot more doing this — not only in San Ramon but elsewhere.”

After some of the crimes, neighbors told police they saw suspicious looking people in the neighborhood but did not call police.

“A neighbor will see something; a vehicle parked in the driveway or people coming out of a garage loading up a

vehicle,” Pratt said. “They think it was strange but don’t report it.”

In one instance, a resident returning home found a burglar in his garage. He scared him off, but waited to call police. In another, a woman saw a burglary occurring across the street, but called her husband instead of police. He waited an hour to report it, long after the burglars had left.

The police department has boosted patrols and has begun undercover operations in residential neighborhoods, but police say it is the public’s responsibility to report suspicious activity while the burglars are still in the area.

People should note the description of the burglars as well as the make, model and license plate number of vehicles. They can call dispatch at 935-973-2779.

Roman Gokhman covers public safety. Reach him at 925-945-4780.