Police Release Image of Wanted Suspect After Two Daytime Burglaries in New Canaan

The chief of the New Canaan Police Department is issuing prevention tips after two forced-entry burglaries and one attempted burglary were reported on Wednesday.

The burglaries (see photo of suspect at right and below—phone NCPD investigators with info at 203-594-3500), at 12:30 and 1 p.m. on Old Norwalk Road and Butler Lane, took place at homes with locked doors and activated alarms, according to Police Chief Leon Krolikowski.

Police also say an attempted burglary occurred on Birchwood Avenue.

“Because the alarms were set, the suspects had very little time to burglarize the residences,” Krolikowski said. “These investigations are ongoing and we are confident arrests will be made in the near future.”

Here are some tips that the police chief said will help residents beat the burglar:

• Be Wary of Unknown Visitors: Always check the identity of visitors before admitting them to your home. Often unsolicited offers to perform work (chimney repairs, driveway repairs, etc.) are scams or a ruse to commit a crime. Contact our Department via 911 if you see suspicious persons or vehicles.
• Be a Good Neighbor: Get to know your neighbors, watch out for them and report suspicious activity in your neighborhood immediately. Prevention is the best cure.
• Don’t Leave Clues That You’re Away: If you go on vacation never leave clues that you are away. Cancel newspaper deliveries and have someone pick-up your mail or have it held at the post office. Never leave a message on your answering machine telling people you aren’t home. Be careful of postings on social networks like Facebook—burglars monitor these sites to see if you are away.
• Don’t Let Burglars Hide: Keep bushes and trees well-trimmed away from the front of your home especially near doors and windows and along pathways. Hedges provide a hiding place for burglars to work behind.
• Keys: Never leave the keys to your home or car inside a vehicle or in a place where a thief can find them. Keys placed under a doormat, flower pot, mailboxes or other “secret” hiding places may invite a burglary. Burglars know where to look for hidden keys.
• Light Up Your Home: At night, keep the perimeter of your home well lit. Low energy lighting switched on and off by photoelectric sensors (low light switches) is a cost-effective way to discourage burglars.
• Lock Up: Lock all doors and windows when you leave home, day or night, even for a short time. Burglars are opportunists and leaving a door or window open makes it easy for them.
• Mark Valuables: Mark your valuables with a unique identifying number using permanent (visible) or ultra violet (invisible) marker pen. Inventory all valuable and/or unique items. Photographs and video or these items may help with recovery and insurance claims.
• Neighborhood Watch: Work with your neighbors to improve security and reduce the risk of a burglary. Be the eyes and ears of the neighborhood-the most important thing you can do is call our Department to report a crime or anything suspicious.
• Schedule a Security Survey: Contact our Department at 203-594-3512 to schedule a free security survey. A trained police officer will survey your residence or business and will give you tips on how to protect your property.
• Use Your Alarm System: Always activate your alarm system, even when you are at home, and whenever you leave your house—even for a short time. Many successful burglaries that occur in our Town involve houses that have alarm systems that were not activated.

Don’t give the burglar a chance. Follow our advice to help keep your home and valuables safe.

Be better informed, connected, and send anonymous tips to our Department by downloading the “MYPD” application in the iPhone or Android marketplace. After downloading the application search for “New Canaan” and get connected.

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