Police Offer Surprising Reason for Burglaries in the Bethwood Area

A few weeks ago, the police captured a pair of burglars in Bethany after what seemed like a long string of break-ins in otherwise quiet neighborhoods. While many residents want to blame the economy or high unemployment numbers, according to area crime fighters, it's neither.

"A guy doesn't lose his job at Sikorsky and go out and start a new life as a burglar," said Bethany Resident Trooper Dave Merriam. "More often than not, we find out drugs are the reason for burglaries."

The price of heroin has dropped, Merriam said, and since it's readily available, it's easy to get hooked. And once hooked, an addict will do whatever it takes to get a fix.

Detective Robert Crowther of the Woodbridge Police Department agreed. "If you want fast cash, you have a few options," Crowther said.  "If you rob a bank, you have a 50 percent chance of getting identified. If you rob a convenience store, the clerk can I.D. you."

Finding a house where there is no one home is a safer alternative for an addict in need of a fix. According to Crowther, they will knock first on the front door and see if anyone answers, then try the back door, and only then will they break in.  They will almost always look for an easy target.

Electronics are popular with burglars, and jewelry is as good as cash. Pawnshops are loaded with power tools because they are hard to identify as stolen. A junkie will bring in $500 worth of power tools and be happy to leave with $50 in his pocket.

According to Crowther, the police have a good rapport with pawnshops and precious metal dealers in the area, which are required to submit a detailed list of what they've taken in each week.

"But in reality," Crowther said, "if a really high-end item gets brought in, all they have to do it keep it off the books."

And now there are many more way to unload "hot" goods, both officers said. EBay takes a little longer to get cash, but it's effective for stolen items. Junkies are now selling their stolen goods right on city streets. Crowther remembers one pair of burglars who tried to sell a stolen laptop in downtown New Haven.

How do you avoid being the victim of a burglar? Sometimes, said Trooper Merriam, it's as simple as not making it easy for them.

"People say they don't lock their doors because they live in Bethany," Merriam said. "They have to remember we're on the corridor between Waterbury and New Haven."

He added that despite what people think, there are addicts right here in our towns. Prevention is key, and his advice is:

• Always lock windows and doors.
• Don't leave ladders outside.
• Dogs and alarms will deter thefts as a burglar wants as easy a target as possible. An alarm won't help if you don't turn it on.

Just because something has been stolen from your home doesn't mean you will never get it back. Police do recover stolen items, but there are ways you can make it easier to get them returned:

• Write down all serial numbers for anything you buy, including electronics and power tools.
• Take pictures of anything valuable, especially jewelry, as soon as you acquire it.
• Keep a folder in your home with all of this information so you have easy access to it. Time is of the essence when trying to recover stolen goods.

"And if anyone sees anything suspicious, call us," Merriam added, crediting an observant neighbor with the capture of the recent pair of burglars. "Don't worry that you're bothering us, we'd rather chase a ghost than have someone get robbed."