Good morning, Dan.
Plainfielders must be on the lookout for Plainfield's NEWEST crime wave, home and auto breakins and thefts.
While Plainfield's civilian police director, Martin Hellwig, was busy telling attendees at Mayor Robinson-Briggs' August 26 forum how violent crime had declined, Plainfield's NEWEST crime wave was already under way -- a home invasion in which an 82-year-old man was savagely beaten (more here).
Last night, I got an email from FOSH board member Jennifer Costello about a car breakin and theft in the Hillside/Woodland Avenues neighborhood, and decided to write about it today, as several cops have told me that car and home burglaries have risen dramatically in recent months -- though you won't know about it as the Robinson-Briggs policy is NOT to release crime information unless it cannot be avoided. (For today's editorial by the Courier challenging the city's policy of secrecy about city business, check here.)
Here is the text of the email sent by Jennifer --
'Keep your guard up!' is certainly good advice.We were given this information and wanted to pass it along to our our FOSH neighbors.
A local resident living between Woodland and Hillside Avenue (West of Woodland) had their car broken into last night. It was parked 200 ft. from the road in their driveway (well in their backyard). The police told him they believe thieves skipped over their Mercedes and the neighbors Jaguar and targeted their Toyota because his wife left her briefcase on the seat and the tempting 'suction cup holder' for the GPS device attached to the windshield. After destroying the door lock and failing to get access, they simply smashed in the drivers window and rummaged through everything w/o opening the door - which is why the car alarm never went off.
The police said there has been a very sharp increase in both car & house burglaries in the area within the last few months. They strongly recommend not leaving any valuables within view of house or car windows, as well as installing motion sensor lights (which they didn't have, but soon will). The police have stepped up patrols, but since the crimes are widespread it is difficult to target just one area.
They have lived in Plainfield for over 14 years & this is a disappointing first for them. Keep your guard up!
This morning, when I went out at 6:30 AM to go pick up the dead-tree versions of the papers, guess what?
Our two Toyotas had both been broken into, which has never happened in twenty-five years living in the West End. (Could it have been because the former neighbors always had a dog that barked loudly?)
The contents of the glove compartment, strewn about.
Thank God, the Girl Scout cookies weren't taken!
My little Echo, without power locks or alarm system, suffered the indignity of having all my glove compartment contents and maps strewn about as well an emergency tool case dropped in the hedge. Recovering the registration and insurance cards from under the car, closer inspection revealed the only apparently missing item was a little baggie in which I keep quarters and dimes for Parkway change. Total, the police officer taking the report asked politely? "Couple of bucks," I said, "less than $5."
Since this was NOT an emergency, I called the ordinary police business number (753-3131), and after the phone-tree rigamarole (the answer is press '1' for police dispatch if you don't want the messages) and got a very polite and thorough dispatcher who took my name, address and couple of pertinent details.
When asked if I knew who did it, I burst out laughing. "Why do you think I'm calling?" I finally got out. The dispatcher informed me, in very serious tones, that it was a standard question. Perhaps a former girlfriend did it in anger?
A former girlfriend? Hmmm. I'll have to give THAT one some thought.
In the meantime, as Jennifer warns all: Keep your guard up!
-- Dan Damon
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10 comments:
Dan -- you have given me the best laugh I have had in a very long time...first the girlscout cookies and then the whodoneit query!!! Too much.
But on a serious note -- as always thanks for the informative "be watchful" warning!
P.S.: I bet your insurance company will ask you the same question -- LOL
Dan;
I am so sorry about your cars, and how gentleman of you to post about it in such a way that your post provokes more than a smile.
Please, KEEP YOUR GUARD UP, be nice to old girlfriends, and buy your neighbors a big, barking dog!
Sorry again about your cars.
You are such a gentleman!
Maria
We live on Watchung Avenue, and recently our Honda S2000 was broken into twice. Both times it was parked well into the driveway, and the motion lights went on to help illuminate the way for the crime. The police were useless.
Hey Dan,
Welcome to the club. We have had it happen twice already. The last time, which was in 07, they broke in to 2 of mine, stealing the owners maunal...for what?? After all, they are so valuable in todays black market... Recently, my house suffered the indignaty of being broken into. They tried the back door, smashing the window in the process. Thanksfully the dead bolt needs a key to get out, so they could not get in. To make matters worse, at 11AM in broad daylight in full view on a busy street, they went to the front of the house on the porch, opened the storm window, smashed the glass and unlocked the window and climbed in. I wish I had it on tape to see the look on their face when the alarm went off. Thank God that was the first project done when I bought the place! They tried to get out the front door and guess what...dead bolt again! They escaped out the same window they came in, empty handed. Funny considering how much was laying around for them to take. Even though no one has been caught, the Police did arrive in moments of the alarm going off.
Dan, Of all the mornings to get both the FOSH news and yours...too bad. Glad to see you have a sense of humor about it, at least it was property damage and not you! Over the years I have spoken to many neighbors, of all colors and ages and we all seem to agree that of course no one wants to be in the paper for negative things...but other towns list their crime reports. In our neighborhood we would appreciate knowing b/c we would be additional eyes and ears for the police.
Go figure! Jo-Ann Bandomer
Thanks Dan for spreading the word around about these break-ins. After I sent the e-mail FOSH got a lot of returned messages thanking me for the information. Questions like: "What can we do as a neighborhood and community to help stop this theft and break-ins?" were coming back. Other e-mails were reporting their own stories stating there were other car break-ins over the last several months on Prospect, Evergreen and Chetwynd. These particular crimes are indeed an issue and on the rise. If there are people interested in organizing a committee of any sorts or if you have ideas you are welcome to e-mail fosh@foshnj.com and come to any of our meetings. What can we do to keep Plainfield safer?
And I have another break-in to report to add to yours!
The Sunday of the final day of the Olympics I went to the Subway/Rita's on Terrill Rd. I was the only car in the parking lot when I pulled in and parked on the right side, nearest to Rita's. When I came out of the Subway store I stopped at Rita's as well and noticed that someone else had pulled in next to my car. Then as I approached I saw green tinted broken glass all over the ground by my driver's side, then saw that the car window had been smashed in! On the seat of the driver's side sat a huge garden stone the size and weight of a cinder block.
I went back to Rita's and asked them to call the police, which on that side of Terrill is Scotch Plains, with Plainfield across the street. Nothing was taken, which meant that the second car pulling in had interrupted the would-be thief, tho when asked they hadn't seen anything. My cell phone was still in sight on the console being charged and my wallet still jammed between the seat and the console, both in plain sight. What a dummy I was! And the car alarm didn't go off either as the locks weren't touched. I was only seconds from losing both my wallet and the phone! Rita's had a camera overhead which the manager called to tell me got a good shot of the guy walking around and looking in my windows, as well as picking up the stone and walking back to my car. My car was only visible from midway to the rear so it didn't show him actually breaking the window.He turned the tape over to the police the next day after he saw it. I don't know if they knew who he was or if he had been apprehended yet. This was mid-day on a Sunday with traffic fairly brisk on both sides of Terrill Rd. Incredible! And expensive. Please warn people not to leave ANYTHING of value in sight in their cars.
Sincerely, Tracy
Hi Dan,
We have had a rash of car bereak-in also on W 8th street. In fact as Chao-I was getting in her car early on e morning she saw a young man sitting in the passenger seat of on e of the other tenants cars. She got in her car and then called me to call the police. As I called the police, I looked out the window I saw the young man exiting the car. My neighbors, who were in France at the time, keep their cars unlocked and keep nothing of value in the cars so their car windows will not be smashed by thieves. We had a rash of break-ins like this about 10 years ago also. Carrie Faraone
Dan, its time for neighborhood watch. We need these badly. How do we get them implemented as it is obvious the Mayor would rather hide this information rather than share it with those of us who will be effected by it. Wow, and as everyone else said...i would be pissed about my car, but glad youre personally safe.
My car got broken into twelve years ago. I don't think it's a new crime wave...just a sign of the times. People are broke and desperate!!! The cops can't stop all crime...even if they are on every street corner in the city.
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