Burglaries in New Providence, Berkeley Heights Still Under Investigation

Police are looking for the public's help in solving a slew of burglaries that occurred in Berkeley Heights and New Providence neighborhoods between the hours of 6 and 9 p.m. Friday.

Two burglaries occurred at residences on Fox Run off of Possum Way in New Providence, while the three additional houses were burglarized in Berkeley Heights in the Murray Hill Farms section of town, near the New Providence border.

“It’s the same time frame, same M.O. on all the crimes so I think it’s the same people who did all five [burglaries],” New Providence Deputy Police Chief Scott Torre said, adding that police don't have suspect descriptions and don't know if there was one or multiple suspects involved.

Torre said a Fox Run resident reported they went out for dinner around 6 p.m. and when they returned about three hours later, they found their rear sliding glass door had been smashed. They found their bedrooms were entered and ransacked. All jewelry boxes were emptied and the contents of several drawers were dumped out on the floor. Torre said he does not know the estimated cost of what was taken.

While checking the remaining houses on Fox Run, officers were approached by another resident, who also reported a broken window in the back of the home. Officers checked the house with the resident and although there definitely was a burglary attempt, it is believed that the actor(s) did not make entry into their home. Torre said forensic evidence was found and is being processed.

In Berkeley Heights, Police Lt. Frank Fortunato said each crime scene was searched for clues and the detective unit is currently processing evidence from the homes to find commonality between the incidents.

According to Berkeley Heights police, the burglar or burglars entered the homes through rear sliding glass doors by breaking the glass — no objects were found near or through the broken glass doors.

All bedrooms at the Berkeley Heights residences were ransacked and jewelry was taken. Lap top computers, cameras and cash were in plain sight, but were left behind, suggesting the burglars moved quickly, said Berkeley Heights Police Chief Michael Mathis.

These burglaries mark six in Berkeley Heights since the beginning of 2012, compared to the five total that hit Berkeley Heights in 2011, Mathis said.

In New Providence, there were a total of five burglaries in 2011, while there were 29 in total in 2010.

All of these burglaries were committed in the early evening hours. Anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activities in these areas are asked to contact Berkeley Heights Police Department at (908)464-1111 and the New Providence Police Detective Bureau at (908) 665-1111.

As is the case with these types of crimes, Torre said they generally come in spurts and will continue until the actor(s) are apprehended. Police ask residents to be "extra vigilant" in reporting suspicious activities. A common denominator in most of these burglaries was the back of the houses were dark. As a crime prevention tip, police say it is important to have lighting in all areas surrounding your homes. Motion sensor lights are also effective because they will turn on when someone enters onto your property.