Daytime burglars hitting Crofton area

A series of daytime burglaries in Crofton has residents on edge.

Since Oct. 25, there have been eight burglaries of homes and businesses, six of which were during the day.

"It's the boldness. It was broad daylight," said one of the victims, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

When she came home from work on Nov. 14, her front door was locked, as usual, but when she went inside her home was not like she left it.

"They had totally ransacked my house. The kitchen was just a mess, cabinets opened and overturned. The house was just a disaster. Every room had been hit," said the woman, who lives in the Crofton Triangle.

The robber or robbers took a television, electronics and cash. She called the police and they were able to determine that the crooks got in through a back door.

"It created a feeling of violation. Forget the valuables and materials that were taken away. Now it's the time, dealing with insurance companies, dealing with police reports," she said.

She has since purchased an alarm system and has vowed to be more responsive if she sees something strange going on in her neighborhood.

The robberies have occurred in both the Crofton Special Benefits District, an area roughly within the boundary of routes 3, 424 and 450 that has its own police force, as well as the rest of the community, which has protection from county police.

Both departments said they are aware of the burglaries and are investigating.

"It's definitely something we've been tracking. Officers have been advised to increase patrols in the area," said Sgt. John Gilmer, a county Police Department spokesman.

He said he couldn't say if the burglaries are related, citing concerns that if he were to say too much it would reveal important details of investigators' work.

"The investigations are ongoing and I really don't want to comment on that," he said.Chief William Booth of the Crofton Police Department said burglaries are

cyclical, there will be a few and then a lull before they start up again. But in the special benefits district they are rare.

Crime data shows that from 2003 to 2007 there were 50 burglaries in the 3,000-home district.

The best deterrent is to know your neighbors. That way you can call police if you notice an unfamiliar person around their home, and they'll hopefully do the same thing for you, Chief Booth said.

"The problem is, with society as it is today, we don't have people at home as much," he said.

The Crofton and county police departments work together and Chief Booth said he also could not say if the recent string of burglaries are related.

Art Huseonica, president of the Greater Crofton Council, said security will be a major project for the council in 2009. There have been discussions about creating an education program to help people make themselves as safe as possible.

A victim of a daytime burglary a few years ago, Mr. Huseonica said burglars literally took everything but his large furniture - socks and perfume included. Police think they backed a large truck up to his home and gave the appearance they had legitimate business there.

He's talked to several different homeowners associations and many are considering hiring off-duty police officers to patrol their neighborhoods. Mr. Huseonica said a more visible police presence would go a long way.

"They seem to be so tied up with paperwork and going to court that there isn't a lot of patrol time," he said.