Moorpark police are advising residents to lock their homes at night following two residential burglaries near Moorpark College.

A home in the 6500 block of Overly Street and another less than a block away in 15400 block of Kernvale Avenue were burglarized this week while the occupants were asleep, said sheriff's Capt. Ron Nelson, Moorpark's police chief.

Both homes were burglarized late Wednesday or early Thursday by people who entered through unlocked doors, Nelson said.

In both cases, the burglars took small items such as wallets and purses.

The proximity and similarity of the crimes makes them appear to be related, Nelson said.

Police are particularly concerned about the burglaries because they occurred when residents were home. Called "hot prowls," this type of burglary is rare in Moorpark, Nelson said.

"It is a very brazen type of crime," he said. "It's a very serious crime, because the potential for a violent encounter between a suspect and a homeowner is there."

There were no confrontations between residents and burglars during the recent incidents.

Officials used Moorpark's recently launched City Watch e-mail alert system to notify residents about the burglaries.

The e-mails described the crimes, said extra officers and volunteers were patrolling the streets to prevent future thefts and catch burglars, and advised residents to lock doors and windows. Residents were also asked to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

It was the first time the system was used, Nelson said.

Early Friday, a homeowner in the 2600 block of Nicholas Street in Simi Valley awoke to find a female burglar standing in the bedroom of the residence, Simi Valley police Lt. David Livingstone said. The burglar fled.

Simi Valley police later arrested Tricia Moran, 39, of Simi Valley on suspicion of burglary and being under the influence of a controlled substance, Livingstone said.

Investigators were looking into the possibility that the Simi Valley and Moorpark burglaries were related.

Thursday afternoon, a burglar entered a home in the 2200 block of McCrea Road in Thousand Oaks while a housekeeper was home, sheriff's Capt. Mike De Los Santos said.

The housekeeper hid in the home until the burglar left. No one was arrested in that case.