Recent burglaries — usually not far from the Merritt Parkway — seem to be committed by the same burglar or burglars in several area towns, according to New Canaan and Darien police, who have seen similarities in the break-ins.
Police say the break-ins are often accompanied by cut window screens as entry is attempted from a window. Jewelry is taken, but electronic items that burglars often take (such as laptops, tablets and flat-screen televisions) have been left behind.
Most of the homes entered are near the Merritt Parkway, although there are exceptions — including at least one home in Ridgefield and a house on Victory Drive in Darien.
Although entry is often made through a window, a door was kicked in at a house on South Avenue.
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New Canaan Police Tips to Prevent House Burglaries
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"The pros will take their time and take everything in the house," said New Canaan Police Sgt. Peter Condos. "The jewelry theft indicates they need cash right away."
That makes Condon think the burglar or burglars likely are desperate for drug money.
Whiffle Tree Lane, New Canaan
On July 4, the 20-year-old son of homeowners on Whiffle Tree Lane left the house at 1:30 p.m., and no one was home until he returned at 11 a.m. on July 5.
Passing his parents' bedroom when he got back, the man noticed bureau drawers were open and someone had rummaged through them. It appeared quite a bit of jewelry had been taken.
There were no signs of forced entry. As best he remembered, he told police, he had locked the house when he left. The house has an alarm, but he didn't set it.
Whiffle Tree Lane attempt
On July 10, a homeowner on Whiffle Tree Lane told police a window screen was cut soemtime between that day and July 4, when he would have noticed it because of a party at the home.
No damage was made to the window and the house did not appear to have been entered.
South Avenue, New Canaan
A screen was cut of a home burglarized on South Avenue (about a block away from Whiffle Tree Lane), but entry wasn't made through that window.
Instead, somebody kicked in the front door.
The homeowners on the 700 block of South Avenue, who left for vacation on July 1, returned at about 8 p.m. July 8 to find their home had been entered and jewelry taken from the master bedroom, which had been ransacked.
Necklaces, gold bands and earrings were taken. Several rooms had been entered, but it appeared jewelry was the target — flat-screen televisions and other electronic equipment had been left behind.
Victory Lane, and other burglaries in Darien
Jewelry was taken from a house on Victory Drive in Darien in circumstances similar to the other burglaries, although Victory Drive is just south of Interstate 95, not close to the Merritt.
Darien police did not have all the details of the incident at their regular Monday news briefing, so information is expected to be released next week
However, the burgalry seems to fit the same pattern as the others. Other examples of similar burglaries include recent break-ins on Hoyt Street, Hollow Tree Ridge Road and Country Club Road — with all the inciidents near the Merritt Parkway.
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