Ridgewood PD Investigating Six Reports of Home Break-Ins in Five Days

Ridgewood police are investigating at least six home burglaries that have been reported in the matter of five days.

The first report came on Dec. 5 when an Eastside homeowner reported their home had been entered while they were away and had been ransacked, Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward said. The homeowner had gone out of town Nov. 29 and returned to find “various personal items were missing.” The scene was processed by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit.

The second report came on the same day when a Westside resident reported at 7:53 p.m. ”that their home had been forcibly entered while they were out.” The burglar entered the home after smashing a first floor window with a large rock and set off the home’s alarm system, Chief Ward said. After checking the homeowner’s surveillance video system, police saw the alleged burglar ring the front door and stand outside of the home just before the alarm was activated (pictured above). The surveillance video also shows a vehicle, ”which appears to be a late model full size pickup truck dark in color possible with an extended cab circled the block just prior to the activation,” according to Chief Ward. The scene was also processed by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit.

The last report of a break-in on Dec. 5 came at 9:21 p.m. when an “Eastside resident reported arriving home to find that their residence had been forcibly entered sometime after dusk and personal property had been removed from inside.” The scene was processed by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit.

But the reports of break-ins didn’t end there.

Another Eastside resident reported on Dec. 6 “that their home had been forcibly entered and ransacked sometime between that date and Nov. 30, with cash taken.” The scene was processed by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit.

Then on Dec. 9, a fourth Eastside resident “returned home from vacation to find that their house had been forcibly entered and numerous personal items including a computer, television and assorted jewelry had been taken,” Chief Ward said. A subsequent investigation determined that the burglary had occurred sometime between Nov. 9 and Nov. 30. The scene was processed by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit.

The latest report also came on Dec. 9 when a ”Westside resident living in the vicinity of the Glen Rock border reported that their home was forcibly entered sometime during the afternoon.” An alleged burglar removed personal property, including jewelry, and the scene was processed by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit.

The Ridgewood Police Department reminds residents that “each year the holiday season brings a rise in the number burglary and theft related offenses reported to the police.”

“It is crucial that the public assist the Ridgewood Police Department by acting as our eyes and ears in the community as well as looking out for their neighbors. In the event that you or your family witness any suspicious activity in your neighborhood please immediately call the Ridgewood Police Department at (201)652-3900 or 911 (under emergency circumstances) with as much detail of your observations as possible,” Chief Ward said. “Additionally, it is prudent even when leaving your home unattended for a short period of time to take measures to ensure that it is not so obvious that no one is home. These measures include but are not limited to leaving lights on inside, installing motion/light/timer activated lighting around the perimeter of your home, closing empty garage doors and preventing packages/news papers/mail/cleaning or other deliveries from accumulating on your porch or where they can easily be seen.”

Police have not said whether or not the alleged burglaries are related. All incidents are currently under investigation by the Ridgewood Police Department Detective Bureau. If anyone has any information concerning these crimes, please contact Detective Douglas Williams at (201) 251-4537.

Images courtesy of the Ridgewood Police Department Facebook Page.