Crime & Safety
SP Police Warn Residents of Local Burglary
A home on Westfield Avenue was burglarized on Tuesday.
Scotch Plains police are warning residents to watch for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods after a burglar entered a local home on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch reported that two homes in Scotch Plains and Fanwood have been burglarized within the past week.
On Friday, Lt. Brian Donnelly of the Scotch Plains Police Department provided further details on the crime that occurred in Scotch Plains.
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Donnelly said that sometime between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, someone broke into a home on Westfield Avenue near St. Bartholomew's Church by entering through an open downstairs window. Once inside, the burglar took money and a camera valued at $225.
Donnelly said police canvassed the area to find out if any neighbors saw suspicious activity, but that the trouble with early morning crimes is that most people in the area are asleep.
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The residents of the burglarized home were also at home at the time of the crime, Donnelly said.
"Anytime you have somebody enter a house when the people are there, it raises a major concern for us," he said.
Donnelly said that Scotch Plains police are in contact with detectives in Fanwood, North Plainfield and Dunellen about similar crimes.
The burglary in Fanwood occurred sometime between 11:55 p.m., July 8, and 6 a.m., July 9. Fanwood Police Lt. Richard Trigo said the burglar entered the home on Helen Street by cutting the ground floor screen and then lifting the window.
The suspect stole an iPhone, Blackberry and another cell phone. He or she also found the keys to a car, and drove off with a 2005 Subaru.
The residents were at home and were sleeping at the time, Trigo said.
Both Scotch Plains and Fanwood police are asking residents to keep a look out for anything unusual or out of the ordinary in their neighborhoods.
Donnelly said homes are often more susceptible to burglaries in the summer because residents keep their windows open on nice days without thinking.
"I know in the last couple of weeks it's been nice, but if you leave the window open, someone can just slide it open and get in," Donnelly said. "We do see burglaries increase because people do leave their windows open and people do go away. If you're going to go away, lock your windows, lock your doors, tell your neighbors. Have someone take care of your mail, your newspapers. Don't make it obvious for somebody walking by or driving by. Don't make yourself a target."
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