Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin.
There were two break-ins in the 1100 block of Embury Street this past weekend.
The first occurred at 10:04 p.m. on Saturday, August 3. The criminals used a ladder to enter the house via a second story window after it was smashed. Designer handbags and a safe valued at $60,500 were taken. The suspects fled in a black Chevy SUV. CCTV was available.
The second break-in happened at 4 a.m. on Sunday, August 4, when the rear door was smashed, the residence was entered, ransacked and designer purses were removed. Possible CCTV available. There were no prints, gloves were worn.
Senior Lead Office Brian Espin reminds residents of the following tips.
A majority of these organized burglaries use sports utility vehicles or crossover style vehicles, usually with no front plate and a “cold plate” (stolen license plate) affixed to the rear of the vehicles.
“Very often you see uninvolved motorists drive right past them during the commission of their crimes,” Espin said.
If you see a black SUV pulled up to your neighbor’s home, do not automatically assume it is someone taking a car service or an Uber to the airport. Check to see if it is actually a planned trip to the airport.
Espin said, “More and more we are seeing burglars utilizing Wifi Jammers, cutting the power to homes, ripping alarm systems out of the wall, and reaching up to push cameras out of view.”
He said burglars also use backyard lawn furniture or equipment to access the second story of residences to gain entry.
“A way to combat this is to hard wire all camera systems, padlock electrical boxes, and place security cameras out of reach and clandestine places throughout their homes,” Espin said and added to be aware that many “dinnertime burglaries” that occur between 6 and 10 p.m. happen when people leave their homes to go out for the evening.
“Anytime you leave your home, have situational awareness and pay attention to vehicles missing front plates, or no plates, that are idly parked in your neighborhoods,”
Espin said. “If you have an alarm system and security camera system, make sure it is on and in good working order.”
He advised that the master bedroom be alarmed with a motion detection, glass break notification, and if the master bedroom is on the second story, that the balcony doors are alarmed. He said that many burglars have entered residences via this means.
It is recommended that if you have a safe it be bolted to a concrete floor, because “If it’s bolted to a hardwood floor, burglars will pry or cut it out of the floor.”
If you have a beak-in immediately notify officers and if evidence is left behind, do not handle it with bare hands.
“Finally, look out for each other in your neighborhoods,” Espin said. “Our biggest breaks come from neighbors paying attention and providing information to officers who are responding.”