Police: String of Burglaries in Livingston

Livingston Police announced the township is being victimized by a number of burglaries on their Facebook page Monday.

Livingston PD said there have been four burglaries since Saturday, Dec. 13, according to the Livingston Police Department Facebook page.

“Even with the arrest from the other day we are still being victimized by other burglars,” police said on the Facebook post. “We again ask all residents to be aware of what’s going on in your neighborhoods. If you see something that doesn’t seem right please call us or at least write down a description and license plate.”

According to the Facebook post, the following are burglaries that have occurred in Livingston since Saturday:

• Sat. 5p-7p Cedargate Dr
• Sun. 530-8p Fellswood Dr
• Sun. 530-8p Maplewood Dr
• Mon 8-4p. Bennington Rd

Police are urging anyone with information regarding these burglaries to contact them.

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for most everyone — including burglars. We’ve all heard of how the Grinch stole Christmas, but you don’t want him to steal your brand new HDTV. Use these tips to make sure Santa Claus is the only stranger entering your home during this holiday season.

U.S. News and World Report and the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance have some tips about keeping your home safe during the holidays. Here is some of the advice the two have shared:

• If you have expensive items that come in boxes, be sure to break down those boxes and dispose of them on trash day. Do not leave these boxes outside; potential burglars will know about your new Playstation 4 video game console in your home.
• Make sure don’t leave gifts in plain sight of windows and doors. Keep valuables hidden. Burglars don’t tend to steal the socks mom buys you each year.
• Put the lights in your home on a timer to make it appear like you’re home even if you’re not. Also, keep your curtains or blinds in their normal position. If your blinds are normally open, suddenly seeing them closed for an entire week can be a good clue that nobody’s home.
• Let neighbors know when you will be away from home so they can tell if there are any uninvited house guests. Also, give a trusted neighbor a spare key; do not leave a key under the doormat. Isn’t that the first place everyone looks?
• Avoid mentioning on social media where you’re headed. You never know who is looking at your Facebook or reading your Twitter timeline. Out of excitement, many people don’t think twice before checking-in at a location on Facebook or Instagram. You don’t want potential burglars to know your house is empty.
• Stop your mail or have a neighbor collect your mail while you’re away. Nothing screams, “I’m not home” like an overflowing mailbox. You can stop your mail from being delivered temporarily by visiting the United States Postal Service’s website.

Read some more holiday safety tips that can be applied anywhere from the Los Angeles Police Department.