Community Alert - Burglaries

_Hi Everyone,   Looks like we're not the only ones doing holiday shopping!  We had two burglaries in the west Maspeth area.  If they happened there, they can happen anywhere!

• An attached home, 58 numbers on 58th Drive, off Flushing Avenue and 59th Street was broken into last week.  It is believed the burglary occurred between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm through the front  I don't have specifics as to what was taken.
• A detached house, 59 numbers on Grand Avenue was burglarized yesterday through the rear.  A neighbor states she heard glass break at about 8:30 am.  Laptops and money was stolen.  Everyone in the house leaves for work.

Most residential burglaries occur during the day when people are at work. There's a good chance the perpetrator(s) were watching these families' routines.

• Whenever possible, but try not to follow the same routine.
• When you leave your home, look around to see if someone is loitering around on the corner or sitting in a vehicle.  Try to make a note of the make/model of the vehicle and license plate number and get a description of the individual.
• If you have to get to work and have a neighbor's phone number, give them a call, pass the information to them and ask them to keep a lookout and call 911, if necessary.
• Many burglars travel on foot and steal small items such as jewelry, cash, etc.  Some burglars may be wearing a backpack to put the items in or may be wearing a coat with big pockets.
• Sometimes a burglar will ring the bell of a targeted house to be sure no one is home.  If someone answers the door they ask for a fictitious person, etc.  If that happens to you, discretely look out your window and watch them.  If a neighbor doesn't answer their bell, the perpetrator might walk to the rear of the house.  If that happens, call 911.  You can do it anonymously, but keep in mind you won't get into trouble if you're mistaken.  It's always best to leave a callback number.
• If you hear glass breaking (like what happened with the burglary above), or an unfamilar noise coming from a neighbor's house, DO NOT go out to investigate.  Call 911.
• Captain Cody, 104th Precinct, suggests if you purchase expensive items and are throwing the box out, fold it inside out so a burglar won't know what you bought.
• If something doesn't appear to be right - it probably isn't.  If someone stands out as suspicious but gives you no immediate reason to call 911, you can forward the info to me (date, time, location, description, etc.) and I'll pass it along to our precincts.  They will have officers be on the lookout in the area.
• Remember, it's neighbor looking out for neighbor.  That's what we're about!