Car and home burglaries on the rise in the Princeton area

Police in municipalities in the Princeton area are reporting an increase in home and car burglaries.

West Windsor

Last weekend, there were several burglaries in the Sherbrook Estates development in West Windsor, police said. The burglaries occurred during overnight hours. Police said most were the result of open windows and doors. The suspect entered the home without force. In one case, the main floor window was pried open. Police  believe the West Windsor burglaries are the work of one person.

“I cannot stress enough for homeowners in all areas of West Windsor to be diligent in securing their home and windows, as well as using the latest security and video monitoring. Locking windows and doors is a common sense approach to reducing the likelihood of professionals and amateurs gaining access to your home and vehicles,” West Windsor Police Chief Robert Garofalo said in a message to residents. :Cameras have become inexpensive and do a great deal for helping to identify individuals involved. Outdoor lighting  also acts as a deterrent as does interior lighting. We must all do our part to help keep our homes and vehicles safe and secure.”

Garofalo said he has directed officers to conduct more random patrols in developments and asked the detective bureau to increase random patrols.

If you see anything suspicious, call 9-1-1. License plates and descriptive information are helpful. Tips can be made anonymously.

South Brunswick

In recent weeks there has been an increases in vehicle burglaries in South Brunswick, police said. Most of the burglaries take place overnight in residential neighborhoods where burglars can go from driveway to driveway to check for unlocked doors and valuables left in plain sight. Police provided the following tips to protect your belongings:

Lock your car doors. This simple step will drastically reduce your chances of having your car burglarized.

Hide valuables so they aren’t in plain sight, or take your valuables with you. This includes cell phones, wallets/purses, GPS units, computers, and jewelry.

Use your garage.

Park in a well-lit area.

Completely close car windows.

Engrave expensive accessories .

Install surveillance cameras near your driveway or front door.

Let your neighbors or the police know if you are going away.  If you see suspicious activity in parking areas or in neighborhoods, call 9-1-1

Hopewell

Three arrests have been made related to a string of home burglaries in the Hopewell area over the past month. Anthony Kennedy, 30, of Florence, was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police on warrants out of Hopewell Township and Burlington County.  Santiago Ramos, 28, of Camden, and Denise Dubois, 40, of  Mt. Ephriam, were previously arrested for the burglaries, which occurred on New Road, Poor Farm Road, Valley Road, Maddock Road and Dublin Road.