Anyone who’d like to increase the likeliness of getting burglarized should leave their doors and windows unlocked.

That’s what three homeowners in Newbury Park did before two juvenile males, 15, allegedly slipped inside their dwellings to steal jewelry, money, electronics and a handgun.

After an investigation, search warrants were issued for the homes of the Newbury Park juveniles. They allegedly turned up stolen property such as a handgun, ammunition and sentimental jewelry that included a deceased father’s wedding ring.

Thousand Oaks police arrested the two juveniles on May 11 on three counts of residential burglary. The police then released them to their parents.

According to a police report, the teenagers explained during interviews how they targeted houses where no one appeared to be home by knocking on the front door and entering through an unlocked door or window after no one answered.

“Investigators would like to remind residents to lock and secure all doors and windows to their houses to avoid being victims of this type of criminal activity,” Detective Mike McConville said.

—Nancy Needham

Use your seat belt

Law enforcement throughout the state, including Thousand Oaks Police Department, will be looking for unbelted drivers and passengers as part of the 2010 Click It or Ticket mobilization through June 6.

This year, fines and fees have increased from $132 to $142 for first-time adult seat belt violations. For children under 16, the fine is now $445 for a first-time offense.

Seat belt violators will receive citations, not warnings. More than 600 permanent Click It or Ticket highway signs, which have been up since 2005, will be updated to reflect the new “Minimum $142” in the coming months.

California has a seat belt usage rate of 95.3 percent, but that still means more than half a million people aren’t buckling up. Properly restrained drivers, passengers and children have a 50 percent better chance of surviving a crash than unbelted occupants. Those ejected from vehicles in crashes or roll-overs are up to 35 times more likely to die than restrained occupants.

Janss Marketplace to get new store

Burlington Coat Factory recently announced plans to open an 85,000-square-foot location in the space formerly occupied by Mervyn’s in Janss Marketplace.

The new store is slated to open in September, being the first in Thousand Oaks and the 49th in California. When open, the store will employ about 75 sales and management associates.

The Thousand Oaks store will feature a wide variety of ladies’ dresses, suits, sportswear, maternity and accessories; top name men’s suits and sportswear; name-brand shoes for men, women and children; famous label clothes for children of all ages; and more than 5,000 coats.

The store will also include home decor and baby depot departments.

For more information, visit www.BurlingtonCoatFactory.com.