Mamaroneck Home Burglaries Nosedive in 2009

Despite public perception to the contrary, statistics for home burglaries in the Village and Town of Mamaroneck dropped significantly from 2008 to 2009. Overall, Mamaroneck averaged a 40 percent decrease in residential burglaries.

Burglaries in the Town of Mamaroneck

According to Lt. Robert Koziak, Public Information Officer for the Town of Mamaroneck Police Department, 32 home burglaries took place in his jurisdiction, which covers parts of Mamaroneck and Larchmont, in 2008. That number fell to 18 last year, accounting for a significant 44 percent drop.

In 2009, the majority of those burglaries took place in the four to six months prior to November, Lt. Koziak said, and none have been reported since then. The Town of Mamaroneck Police Department presented a Burglary Prevention Workshop in December, educating the public about ways to prevent break-ins (click here to see the burglary prevention checklist that was distributed then). 

Perhaps residents are paying heed to the Police Department's safety recommendations, resulting in no burglaries being reported in the last three months in the Town.

Lt. Koziak would not comment on any particulars regarding the crimes that did take place, except to say that "all are still under investigation" and these crime waves are sometimes cyclical in nature.

Burglaries in the Village of Mamaroneck

With some areas of the Village of Mamaroneck perceived as being vulnerable to break-ins because of easy access to main thoroughfares such as I-95, the reality is that there were far fewer residential burglaries last year. According to the Village of Mamaroneck Police Department official statistics, there were 58 residential burglaries in 2008, with 37 reported in 2009 – a 36 percent decrease.

Lt. James Gaffney, public information officer for the Village of Mamaroneck Police Department, echoed some of the concerns Lt. Koziak had in that police are often not in a position to comment on ongoing investigations for fear of compromising their work, yet they want to educate the public and make them feel safe.

While Lt. Gaffney acknowledged the concerns of residents that burglaries seem to be on the rise in some neighborhoods, perhaps it is a greater awareness of the events that keeps the subject fresh in everyone's minds—and on their lips.

"The good news is that people are talking and communicating," Gaffney noted. "There is an awareness, and people need to call if they see something suspicious."

Police Presence in Vulnerable Neighborhoods

But some residents feel that the onus lies with the police department, and they are not doing enough to stem crime. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one resident who experienced a theft in the area confessed to having felt safer while living in New York City than here now.

"This March will mark my third year in Harbor Heights, and it's almost a commonality to hear that one of my dear, hard-working neighbors has been violated in one form or another," she stated. "The car raids, break-ins, speed chases down Soundview this past summer... It is unacceptable… that given all these occurrences, there continues to be absolutely no police presence here, with the exception of a lone roving police car after a break-in or theft in the neighborhood."

With I-95 and the Hutchinson River Parkway "a stone's throw away," the resident stressed that Harbor Heights is a hot area, something the police department knows, and "yet nothing is done to make the tax payers feel safe and secure. What warrants a wake-up call around these parts?" she asked. 

"A burglary is an opportunistic crime, and it usually happens when no one is home," Lt. Gaffney offered. "The best thing people can do is to make sure we are good neighbors. Don't be afraid to call the police if you see something suspicious. People hesitate to call for different reasons, but the police will follow up. That way the community is working with the police to make things better for everyone."

The Village of Mamaroneck reports there were six burglaries in the last three months.

The Village of Larchmont Police Department did not respond to repeated requests to contribute data to this report.