By Tom Jordan
During a crime-prevention workshop on Nov. 29, Rockville Centre's police commissioner told an audience of about 40 that a false sense of security among local residents has contributed to the rise in home invasions this year. All of them could have been prevented, he said, with simple precautionary measures, such as locking doors and windows.
Although there have been no home burglaries since October, according to police, the forum was held to quell continued public anxiety.
"If the community worked with us, we could reduce the number of burglaries to under ten per year," Police Commissioner Jack McKeon said. "Not that I think that's satisfactory -- one is too many. But burglary is a crime of opportunity. If we reduce the opportunities, we will reduce crime."
According to police records, of the 80 burglaries reported in the village through October, 23 have been invasions of occupied homes. Such burglaries are the most alarming, because they occur during hours when anyone home is presumably asleep. Residents and police alike have said such a situation is their biggest fear.
The nightmare became reality for two families one night in September when a burglar wielding a gun and dagger pushed his way into one house on South Lewis Place and then another house on Ormond Street, where four children were home with their parents. In both instances, male inhabitants were tied up at gunpoint and threatened with physical harm.
After a brief chase down Village Avenue later that night, police aided by a Nassau County helicopter and K-9 unit captured that burglar.
But residents, especially those in mid-village, between Lakeview and DeMott avenues, have continued to make themselves a soft touch, Commissioner McKeon said.
"Of all of these burglaries, not one involved a break-in of any kind," Mr. McKeon said. The commissioner said there were at least an additional 23 such attempts thwarted because back windows -- the way burglars have almost invariably entered the homes -- were locked. "The target was harder," he said. "A light went on, an alarm went off, a dog barked ... so the burglar moved on to a home that was not as prepared."
"I could walk into ten homes a night, no problem," said Sgt. Kevin O'Toole, who has visited each crime site. During the evening, he answered questions about the incidents. "This is our No. 1 priority and we're taking it personal. The crimes are unique because there are about six different patterns."
Commissioner McKeon said there have been 18 or 19 arrests since June for burglary-related crimes. The police department has also increased its watch during nighttime and has compared notes with other municipalities investigating similar crimes.
The last rash of home burglaries was carried out in the wee hours of Friday, Oct. 6, when two homes were robbed and seven other attempts failed. All of the activity took place in the same general area -- near Hempstead South Pond. "Burglaries were prevented in several cases simply because people had locked their windows," Lt. James Kraemer said at the time, also noting that in both successful break-ins, the burglar had entered through an unlocked rear window.
Commissioner McKeon said that law enforcers usually see a spike in criminal activities near the holidays. Already, Rockville Centre has experienced more burglaries this year than in any year since 1995, when 87 burglaries were reported through October. There were 101 break-ins reported by the end of that year.
"My father used to state proudly that he never locked the doors in our home in Baldwin. You can't do that anymore, and you can't do it in Rockville Centre, either," Commissioner McKeon said.
