JACKSON — Awave of residential burglaries that vexed Jackson at the end of 2011 has seen a sharp downturn in recent months, according to Jackson police, because of increased cooperation on the part of residents.
Police said while the numbers are down, the situation has not completely gone away.
“They [burglaries] haven’t been completely eliminated, but it has been much, much less than previously reported,” Jackson police Sgt. Christopher Parise said.
According to Jackson police Sgt. Denis Campbell, there are now between four and six burglaries a week reported in town. During the height of the crime wave, he said, that number was significantly higher.
“We think the attention [being paid] to this situation is appropriate and [should be] sustained,” Campbell said.
During the time when burglaries were spiking, burglars were entering homes during the day while residents were gone and taking items they could easily carry away, like jewelry and cash.
Police said at the time that the suspects appeared to be working in teams, with one person dropping off a second individual on a targeted street and then picking up that person after burglaries had been completed. The homes were entered and burglarized in a matter of minutes.
Campbell said that ever since police began reporting the situation to the public, the number of telephone calls coming in regarding suspicious activity in Jackson has greatly increased.
“I hope people will continue to call police if they see suspicious vehicles or suspicious people,” he said.
Police said the current spate of burglaries is following almost the same pattern as those in recent months, with suspects knocking on a door to see if someone is home before making their move.
According to police, a recent burglary had a resident on Heathwood Avenue barely miss a face-to-face confrontation with a burglar in his home.
On March 30 at 11:40 a.m., a man who lives on Heathwood Avenue was in the basement when he heard movement in the house. Thinking it was a delivery man with a package that was expected, the resident went upstairs to investigate and noticed that someone had left his house through the back door and that items like cash and jewelry were missing from his bedroom, police said.
Campbell cited several reasons why he believes the burglaries are happening now.
“Unfortunately, I think this is stemming from a lot of different reasons, like the current economic climate and potential drug problems. Those types of situations can generally cause people to turn to crime,” he said.
In February, residents responded to the situation by joining forces with the Jackson Police Department to create several neighborhood watch groups.
Residents in Robbins Estates and the Legler section of Jackson met that month to create groups, while residents in the Brookwoods and Flair developments, the areas surrounding Butterfly Road and Abbey Road, as well as residents living in the new Windsor Crescent apartment complex have expressed interest in starting their own watch groups.
According to Campbell, the increased vigilance from residents has started to yield information about potential suspects.
“At least on two occasions, we are getting some information we can look at,” he said. “It’s great that people are taking an interest, being proactive and reporting what they see.”
Campbell said that police are continuing to take the situation very seriously and are hoping Jackson’s residents will keep an eye out for things that seem out of place in their neighborhood.
“If we knew right now who was doing this, we would get them. We are looking at all the options on the table and we are seeking the public’s assistance,” he said.
In other news, Jackson police apprehended two men on April 1 after residents reported seeing a suspicious vehicle on West Commodore Boulevard. Police said Carmen Reino, 61, of Jackson, and Raymond Augusto, 60, of Levittown, Pa., were found in a home at about 3:30 p.m.
Following an investigation, the two responding officers determined there was no one living in the house at the time and that the men were cutting copper piping in the basement.
Building materials like copper piping can cost from $2.99 to $65.99 per foot, depending on the pipe’s diameter, according to plumbingsupply.com.
Officials said Reino and Augusto were each charged with burglary and theft. They were processed and released. A court date is pending.