By:Hector Flores
Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg (D-Merrick) said the burglary spike was first noticed in North Bellmore in late December, and since then the rash of burglaries has made its way into East Meadow.
"During the fall, there was a spike of burglaries in the North Bellmore area," Denenberg said. "But before that, it appeared that the original spike was first seen in East Meadow, then in Bellmore, followed by a spike in North Bellmore and now back at East Meadow.
"I'm currently holding town hall meetings to address this moving trend of burglaries and how to avoid becoming a victim," Denenberg said.
The North Bellmore Civic Association also plans to incorporate public safety into the agenda of its next meeting. Scott Belovin, a North Bellmore civic leader, said, "At the current time, we are bringing officers from POP [the Problem-Oriented Police unit] to our general meetings to talk to our civic members and provide crime-prevention tips."
Keeping a close watch for burglaries is Patrick O'Connor, the 1st Precint's inspector and commanding officer. He has increased patrols in North Bellmore and is credited with bringing burglary rates down. "In the last 28 days," he said, "there have been four burglaries in the Bellmore area, and it is a pattern that has been developing. I have [assigned] additional patrols to see if we could target the area and reduce the number of burglaries. Even though they are still high, they are starting to go down."
There have been some arrests, and the burglary numbers in certain areas have begun to decline. Burglaries in Bellmore, North Belmore and East Meadow, which accounted for 60 percent of the total number of burglaries in the 1st Precinct as recently as three months ago, now comprise only 30 percent of the total.
"What has also helped is the increased information we have received from the community to prevent burglaries and make arrests," said O'Connor. "I also want to encourage people to watch out for one another and to protect themselves."
The commander also suggested that people who are planning a trip should contact their post office and stop the delivery of mail and newspapers to their home. "The one thing a burglar looks for when choosing a house to rob is if there are newspapers scattered outside," he said.
If the delivery of mail or newspapers is not stopped, make arrangements with a neighbor who can pick them up.
Another deterrent homeowners can use is timers to turn on radios, TVs and house lights. Anything to give the appearance that someone is at the house.
"Also, people think that burglaries happen at night," O'Connor said. "But the majority of them occur during the day, when everyone is at work or at school."
