Beware of Burglars Ringing Doorbells, Chatham Township Police Warn

Chatham Township Police have asked residents to remain alert following a residential burglary this week that followed a similar pattern to other recent break-ins.

According to Chief Steven Hennelly, a Jodi Lane residence was burglarized Monday sometime between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. No one was home at the time and there were no witnesses, Hennelly said.

Hennelly said a recent string of burglaries in town have followed a similar pattern with a man knocking or ringing a doorbell to see if anyone is home.

If no one answers, the burglar goes around to the back of the home and forces entry, Hennelly said. If someone is home, the burglar gives an excuse why he knocked, according to Hennelly.

A Susan Drive resident was asked about a lost dog and the man claimed to live on a nearby street, according to Hennelly. The man left while speaking on his cell phone.

"This leads us to believe that he may have been speaking to an accomplice driving a car in the area," Hennelly said.

Police are advising residents to be vigilant and to call them about any suspicious activity.

"In many cases, immediate information provided to us by our residents is vital in bringing problems such as this to a successful conclusion," Hennelly said.

Police also advise residents to secure all valuables and place them somewhere other than the master bedroom.

"The master bedroom has been a common location of theft in the most recent burglaries," Hennelly said. "Also, if you have an alarm, set it while you are out. If you use a dry cleaning service that will hang clothes on your front door if you are not home, please ask them to leave it in the back so they are not readily visible from the roadway.  Please direct UPS or FedEx to leave packages away from the front or garage doors if you are not home."