Police See Pattern in Downtown Neighborhood Break-Ins

Captain William McKenna, or the Middletown Police Department says the department is noticing a spike in burglaries, robberies and break-ins in neighborhoods surrounding downtown and Wesleyan.

"We already have an arrest warrant for one individual based on the recovery of a piece of jewelry from a Wesleyan burglary," he said. "But it's probably the work of two or three individuals.

"Last night it was just crazy," he said, about the five break-in calls the department received in the neighborhood. "Most of the houses this individual or individuals broke into were occupied. Usually burglars want to make sure the houses are empty. They'll stake out a house, or knock on the front door to be sure no one is home. For that reason we suspect they were under the influence of narcotics or alcohol that made them careless. We have a few people-of-interest in mind.

"In some cases our dog was able to track these guys from one house, to the next house they had entered," McKenna said.

McKenna said the investigation of these crimes is currently at the top of the department's daily list.

"I'm encouraging the midnight shift to be very vigilant. To make their presence known, and to just pound the area," he said. "And we encourage residents to report even the slightest thing that makes them suspicious. If they have a name, or a lead, or a tip they can call the detective bureau or the front desk number (344-3200).