Local pest control companies are noticing an increase in break-ins at homes being fumigated for termites.
The second break-in in two weeks reportedly happened Sunday night in Arroyo Grande while the home was vacated during fumigation.
The first break-in happened on October 29 in Grover Beach.
The owner of Central Coast Termites, Greg Crist, got the call when his crew arrived to take down the tarps.
"They had busted open the door with some kind of screw driver or something of that sort," Crist said.
A camera inside the home caught footage of the intruder turning on the lights and rummaging around the house.
The family said he took several valuable items with him when he left.
The most recent break-in was similar. When crews arrived, they noticed the tarp had been tampered with and there was evidence of a break-in.
"The tarp was lifted up and the sandbags were removed," explained Jim Fortelny, owner of Leadership Fumigation.
Leadership Fumigation is the company that executes the tenting once the pest control company, Central Coast Termites, in this case, does their inspection.
When crews arrived to take down the tents and saw the break-in, they called Fortelny who then called police to inform them of what happened.
"They went upstairs and took some jewelry and a computer then left a jewelry box and bolt cutters on the sidewalk and left," said Fortelny.
While this is the second break-in during a fumigation in the past few weeks, Fortelny says he is aware of 8 in the past few months.
They urge clients to take all valuables from the home during fumigation.
KSBY reached out to the Arroyo Grande Police Department and the Grover Beach Police Department who say they are aware of the situation and it is an active investigation.
