Spike in Daytime Burglaries Reported In West Bethesda Neighborhoods
Burglars may be "casing" neighborhoods, according to police.
Montgomery County police are warning Bethesda residents about a spike in daytime burglaries in neighborhoods near River Road and Massachusetts Avenue, Montgomery County Police Capt. David Falcinelli wrote in a crime update released Wednesday.
Police have noted eight of the burglaries since September, according to the update.
Falcinelli said burglars are targeting jewelry and electronics, and entering homes between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
In one incident, Falcinelli said, burglars triggered an alarm very shortly after the homeowners left, indicating they may have been "casing" the neighborhood.
Police are stepping up daytime patrols with uniformed and covert officers, Falcinelli said.
Burglars are also targeting homes in nearby Potomac, Patch reported.
Falcinelli also drove home the importance of reporting crimes to police. Two attempted robberies over the weekend in downtown Bethesda went unreported, as Patch first reported.
Read the full crime update at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center blog.
Native
9:50 am on Thursday, December 6, 2012
My neighbor's house in Bradley Hills was recently burglarized on an early Saturday afternoon. The bedroom alone was tossed and jewelry was taken. They called 911 and were instructed to wait outside for the police to come and check the house. It took close to a half hour for the police to respond on-scene. The victims were very disappointed by the terribly slow response time.
jnrentz1
12:24 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Native:
You wrote: " It took close to a half hour for the police to respond on-scene. The victims were very disappointed by the terribly slow response time."
For your information, "...close to a half hour..." is not a "...terribly slow response time." It is a timely and acceptable response time.
Native
8:26 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Not if you want to catch the person who may have still been in the house. The family was only out of the house for an hour or so. A police could have walked from the Bethesda station in less time than the response.
jnrentz1
3:45 am on Sunday, December 9, 2012
The perpetrator was gone from the scene when the victims called the police. The response time was satisfactory.
Native
11:22 am on Sunday, December 9, 2012
Wrong. It was unknown if the perpetrator was still in the house or on the property when the homeowners called 911. That is why they were advised to immediately go outside and await the arrival of police by the dispatcher.
jnrentz1
11:43 am on Sunday, December 9, 2012
Native:
The crime was over, and the perpetrator was gone at the time the complainant(s) arrived home. The response time was satisfactory. For your information the correct police phone number to use in non-emergencies is 301-279-8000.
Native
11:58 am on Sunday, December 9, 2012
How can you say that the crime was over and the the perp was gone? Were you the thief? Furthermore, why would they call the non-emergency # upon discovering that someone has come into their house within a short time frame and may still be there?