Three Home Burglaries This Week in Maplewood

Three different homes were reportedly broken into this past week in disparate parts of town. On Bowdoin Street near Springfield Avenue, someone cut through a first-floor window screen to gain entrance to a home overnight. On Van Ness Terrace near Boyden Avenue, a teenage girl reported intruders in her home. Three juvenile males were arrested. And someone forced entry into a Woodhill Drive home in the Wyoming section and stole jewelry and watches.

Maplewood Police Captain Paul Conlon says there is nothing to indicate that the burglaries are related at this time. "The Detective Bureau is investigating. There are some similarities but nothing concrete to connect the crimes. The detectives are investigating each incident individually."

Here below is the full weekly police blotter, courtesy of Captain Conlon:

June 23, 2010: Theft of Chains—A 58-year-old Maplewood woman was walking on Irvington Avenue near Parker Avenue when a black male approached her and grabbed two gold chains from her neck and ran off.  The incident occurred at about 4:20 in the afternoon and the victim did not receive any injuries in the incident.  The actor is described as a black male, 32-33 years old, 5'8" tall, thin build, with close cropped hair.  He was last seen running on Irvington Avenue wearing a red, white and blue short sleeve shirt and Capri style jeans.

June 24, 2010: Theft from Auto—A Wetmore Avenue resident reported that unknown actors entered her unlocked auto that was parked in her driveway and removed a Magellan GPS unit and several car adapter plugs. The car was parked in the driveway at approximately 12:30 a.m. and the items were reported missing at about 8:30 am.

June 25, 2010-Burglary—A home on Bowdoin St. was entered sometime during the overnight hours and several items were taken. Reported missing was a Blackberry cell phone and some cash. Detectives located the point of entry as a cut screen on a first floor window. A second Bowdoin St. resident also noticed that several screens on his first floor windows were cut but entry was not gained into this house. 

June 27, 2010: Burglary- A home on Woodhill Drive was broken into sometime during the hours of 9:30 a.m. on June 26 and 1:00 a.m. on June 27. The actor gained entry through an unlocked rear exterior door and then forcing their way in through a locked interior door. There were indications that several bedrooms were entered and a large amount of jewelry and several watches were taken from the house. 

June 28, 2010: Burglary Arrest—A Van Ness Tr. resident called 911 to report an intruder in her home at 10:09 a.m. The caller, a 15-year-old female, was able to give Police a detailed description of the one actor inside the house and two others that remained outside. As Officers responded they located all three suspects walking away from the home and were able to apprehend them.  A 15 year old male from Irvington and two 16 year olds males from Maplewood were arrested.  The 15 year old was charged with Burglary and the two 16 year olds were charged with Trespassing. Entry was gained through an unlocked first floor window.