By Amy Batista, Special Writer
For some people, this summer has been sizzling with robberies and burglaries in East Windsor and Hightstown.
It has some residents questioning, “What is going on?”
However, the police director of the Hightstown Police Department and police chief of East Windsor are saying crime statistics are down this year as of press time.
”While all cases are given a high level of attention and are a priority concern to the Police Department, the overall number of robberies is not statistically unusual,” said Chief James Monahan of the East Windsor Police Department on Aug. 14.
Chief Monahan noted his Police Department had an opportunity to examine all robbery incidents reported in East Windsor in 2011 and thus far in 2012.
So far in 2012, there have been three robberies in East Windsor. In all of 2011, there were four robberies reported, according to police.
”A preliminary look at these cases failed to reveal the emergence of any noticeable trends. Official crime statistics are compiled at the end of each year and are included in the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Report,” Chief Monahan said. (See the story on Page 5A for sample data on robberies from the FBI’s 2011 report.)
”After reviewing the crime statistics, we are down in several of the categories,” said Police Director James Le Tellier of the Hightstown Police Department.
Mr. Le Tellier told the Herald on Aug. 13 that the Hightstown Police Department, after examining all incidents reported in 2012 thus far, had only one robbery.
In 2011, there were four robberies in Hightstown, according to the police director.
”Not everything has to do with the economic conditions; sometimes you just become a victim of circumstances,” Mr. Le Tellier said. “I don’t see the economy being related to those couple of incidents.”
June 27, at approximately 8:30 p.m., officers responded to the Deerfield apartment complex on a report of an attempted robbery with a gunshot fired. According to police, two men approached a victim in an attempt to steal his vehicle.
Per this same incident, someone displayed a silver revolver style handgun and fired one shot into the air as the victim fled the area on foot, according to Hightstown police.
The robbery is still an ongoing investigation, according to Mr. Le Tellier.
”We were hit twice this summer,” said Alison Megee, of East Windsor, of thefts. “Both times my husband and I had forgotten to lock our cars at night. This person or people must not have anything better to do then to walk the streets of East Windsor at night checking cars to see if they are unlocked.”
According to Ms. Megee, the first incident was involving her husband’s car in which his GPS was stolen, which was valued at around $100. Then about three weeks later, her minivan was hit. A GPS as well as $4 in cash from her wallet was stolen. She said none of her credit cards were touched, but two digital cameras that belonged to her two daughters were stolen.
”The extra frustrating part was reporting the robberies to the police,” Ms. Megee said. “Both my husband and I came away feeling like they could care less and, even worse, couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
However, according to the East Windsor Police Department, officers are actively patrolling the various township zones.
”I understand that it would be difficult to find these people, but they at least should tell us what they are going to do to help prevent this in the future,” Ms. Megee said.
Manny Amin, owner of the Crock-A-Deli on Old Cranbury Road in East Windsor, said he had a call from security early Monday morning and had the company send the police over to check the store after he had been burglarized twice in the past two years with the most recent one being Aug. 2.
”I thought it was another break-in already,” Mr. Amin said. “I was scared.”
Mr. Amin said it was around 2:30 a.m. that it happened, and this was also almost the same time he was burglarized about a week and a half ago, which was around 1:23 a.m.
”The person came in with a mask on and stole lottery tickets, which were cashed in South Jersey,” Mr. Amin said, stating that was how police eventually caught the person — just recently.
Mr. Le Tellier offered some tips for the residents on what to do to avoid being a victim of a robbery.
”Be aware of your surroundings,” Mr. Le Tellier said. “It’s always best to travel in groups. Avoid areas such as dark areas, dark alleys. Don’t look like a tourist. The best thing is to be wise and choose the time, the date and night that you do go shopping or out to dinner.”
For people who wonder what to do if they are home and get burglarized, this is where it becomes important to be “neighborly” to one another, according to police.
”We ask people to keep an eye out on their neighbor’s home and call us anytime you think something is suspicious or something looks out of place or they see someone that just doesn’t fit in the neighborhood,” Mr. Le Tellier said. “Again, secure your homes. We encourage people to look for alarms that have locking mechanisms.”
Residents have speculated the crimes are the result of the economy, gangs or legislation on carrying handguns.
Sen. Jeff Van Drew of the First District introduced a bill (S419) last September concerning the issue of concealed carry permits.
”Studies have shown that areas where concealed carry permits exist have lower crime rates than areas where these permits are not available,” Sen. Van Drew said in an email Tuesday. “A prime example of this is in Miami where incidents of carjacking and other related crime dropped dramatically after the introduction of a concealed carry law. My legislation is a measured, intelligent approach to the issue of gun rights that would actually be more stringent than concealed carry permits currently available in New York state, Pennsylvania, Delaware or Florida.”
Sen. Van Drew, D-Cape May, said New Jersey law is “neither fair” or “as some would argue, constitutional, and depending on how connected a person may be.”
He said, “Currently, New Jersey has a concealed carry permit that may be issued based on the court standard ‘justifiable need.’ This is nearly impossible to obtain, unless an applicant has a qualifying ‘need’ or has a connection to a Superior Court judge. If an applicant is able to obtain a permit, he is not required to undergo any of the qualification requirements that applicants would be subjected to under the provisions of my legislation.”
He added, “I believe that my legislation is both in the spirit of the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership. Senate bill 419 would establish a responsible, strictly regulated concealed carry permit law. Under the provisions of this bill, an applicant is deemed qualified if he or she meets a number of strict requirements.”
The applicant must undergo a criminal history record background check and successfully complete a comprehensive course of instruction, use, maintenance and storage of firearms, approved by the Police Training Commission. He or she also must demonstrate proficiency in the use of the type of firearm to be carried, according to Sen. Van Drew.
”Finally, the applicant must successfully complete a course in the lawful use of force and the justifiable use of a firearm, which is approved by the superintendent,” Sen. Van Drew said. “This permit is good for only one year, and these qualification requirements must be met every time a permit is renewed.”
Anyone with information regarding the Deerfield Apartment incident is asked to contact the Hightstown Police Department at 609-448-1234.
If anyone has any information on crimes in East Windsor, call the East Windsor Township Police Department at 609-448-5678.