Police Offer Advice On Burglary Prevention

By Andrew Gorosko

In view of a recent increase in the burglary rate in area towns, police are offering residents some advice on how they can protect their homes from being burglarized.

Police Patrol Sergeant Domenic Costello, who is a member of the police department’s five-member crime prevention unit, said that neighborhood groups or social organizations interested in learning how to protect properties against burglaries should contact the police department at 426-5841, and ask for the crime prevention unit.

The unit makes presentations to such groups about crime prevention, including information on projects such as the Neighborhood Watch program. The increase in burglaries in the area began in mid-summer, Sgt Costello noted.

The sergeant also offers some practical advice to residents on protecting properties against burglaries.

Residents and business owners should make sure that their premises are kept locked to keep their properties secure.

If property owners have a burglar alarm system, they should activate it each time that they leave the premises.

Also, it is wise for property owners to have motion-activated floodlights positioned on their properties, he said.

The sergeant said that residents should pay attention to any vehicles and people in their neighborhoods that appear to be suspicious. If possible, residents should safely obtain the marker plate numbers of suspicious vehicles.

If a suspicious person is observed, residents should try to obtain as accurate a description of that person as possible. Such details include: age, height, weight, hair color, clothing, visible tattoos, marks and scars.

Sgt Costello urges that residents immediately contact police regarding any suspicious people in their area.

The sergeant explained that in some cases, some people who commit burglaries knock on the doors of homes to learn whether anyone is home in preparing to commit a burglary.

If a resident should then answer the door, the resident is asked if they need any odd jobs done, such as cleaning out gutters or landscaping, to provide an excuse that person knocking on the door, the sergeant said.

In such cases, residents should not allow the inquiring person to perform any work on their property, but should obtain their description and contact police immediately, the sergeant said.

Members of the police department’s crime prevention unit are Sgt Costello, and officers Maryhelen McCarthy, Andrew Stinson, Felicia Figol, and Richard Monckton.