From: Timothy L. Matheny, Administrator, East Amwell Township
To: Concerned Residents of East Amwell Township
Re: Recent Burglaries in East Amwell Township
Upon being made aware by residents of a number of burglaries in the Ringoes area, I contacted the Kingwood barracks of the NJ State Police.
Lt. Jiras is the new station commander (arrived around the second week of December 2011) and I spoke with him directly. He advised that since December 1st through January 17th, there have been six (6) residential burglaries in East Amwell. There were three (3) in the vicinity of John Ringo Road, One (1) on Old York Road, One (1) on Linvale Road, and One (1) on Lindbergh Road. There have also been two burglaries in Kingwood and two in Alexandria Townships. There were no burglaries in East Amwell Township for the three months prior to the start of these burglaries.
The burglaries occurred during daytime hours primarily between the hours of 11am and 4pm. In most cases entry was gained from the rear of the house through a window or by breaking a window in a door. In one instance, a person was home sick and was awakened by someone in the house. The intruder ran upon realizing someone was home.
NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED as a result of these Burglaries.
A task force has been formed with the NJSP and the Prosecutors offices from Hunterdon and Somerset Counties as there are additional burglaries spanning these jurisdictions that “may” be related. The Lieutenant stated that all of “our” burglaries may not be related but the circumstances are still being investigated.
He advised that there has been an increased presence in these areas by the NJSP. Patrol in unmarked cars is also taking place. The Lt. noted that some of our residents may indeed be confronted by a Trooper in these areas and if so, please cooperate with their efforts. The NJSP has found that many residential vendors, i.e.Plumbers, HVAC etc. are working on homes by themselves in the absence of the homeowners. You may want to check with your vendors to make sure they lock up securely and to see if they might have seen something.
The Lt did request that anyone with any information or having seen anything out of the ordinary, especially during daytime hours, contact the detectives in charge of this case. They are:
Detective Sergeant Rosica and Detective Astbury. They can be reached at the Kingwood State Police barracks at (908) 996-2864
Of particular interest would be any suspicious persons or cars seen, license plate numbers, names of individuals that were in the area that are known to you. (Note: sometimes people in the area may not be the suspect but they may have seen something that might be helpful.)
It was clear to me that the NJSP are taking these incidents seriously and are dedicating considerable time and manpower to find those responsible.
Speaking from some experience, the exact details of the burglaries will not be released to the public as there are usually a number of specific things that will be known only to the perpetrator(s) and the investigating police agency. These specifics can become instrumental in securing a conviction should an arrest be made and charges filed.
In general, please consider the following:
Random residential burglaries are usually a crime committed when the victim residence appears convenient to the perpetrator. Therefore, it is imperative that all residents make their dwellings INCONVENIENT. Please use good crime prevention practices. For example:
- Keep all doors and windows LOCKED.
- Keep bushes and trees pruned so that there is no good place to hide immediately next to your home.
- Lights are the burglar’s enemy. Motion sensor lights are helpful as well as keeping some lights ON, both outside and within your home. Timers on different lights when you are out or away can make it appear that someone is home since the location of the lighting changes. Lighting behind your home should also be considered.
- A radio is also a good deterrent. Putting one on a timer if necessary when you are away can be helpful.
- Dogs, alarm systems, private security are great but this can become costly and may not be the best alternative for many people.
- Some of your best protection will be your NEIGHBORS. Now might be a good time to start a conversation. Knowing when they are usually home or are away will help you sense when something is out of the ordinary. Advise your neighbors when you are out for the evening or on vacation so that they can be aware and casually watch your house. Wouldn’t you be willing to do the same?
- Our fear of the dark is often unfounded. In this particular case, being particularly vigilant during the DAY would be very helpful.
- TRUST YOUR GUT. If you hear something, or something just does not seem right etc., call 9-1-1.
- Look at your residence as a burglar would. Are there newspapers lining the driveway? Is the mailbox overstuffed? Are UPS packages left on the porch for days? Do doors or windows appear to be easily forced open?
- Sliding glass doors are an easy target for intruders. Something as simple as an affixed dowel in the track or a nail pinning the doors to prevent sliding can make a break in much more difficult.
- Unless you are highly trained and skilled UNDER STRESSFUL situations, the purchase or use of deadly weapons is probably NOT a good idea. Weapons in the hands of the average person can easily be turned against them. Furthermore, the stress of the situation might cause a tragic response to an innocent person or family member.
As you know, the NJSP are our police force. Unfortunately, we do not always have the most current information at the Municipal Building. Further questions and of course INFORMATION should be provided to the NJSP at 908-996-2864. In an emergency always dial 9-1-1 do not call the NJSP station number.
