TV-10 reports that there was a string of six break-in’s in Newton this past Monday evening through Tuesday morning. More disturbing still the entries happened while the homeowners were in their houses.
String of Newton break-ins
by Jerry Reilly | Mar 18, 2021 | Newton | 21 comments
please share any companies/contractors who specialize in re-enforcing windows, metal gate doors etc.
Burglars who ae willing to enter while residents are home at night is downright brazen, I can see why that elderly lady of afraid of her life. They were willing to go in via the roof for goodness sake and doesn’t seem targeted since there was a cluster of 6 incidents
This reminds me of a very crazy story from a few years back. Newton North started a program with their computer science students. If anyone in the community had a web based project you could come in and pitch it to the students to take it on as a school project.
I made an appointment, arrived at NNHS, and the receptionist said the teacher would be down soon to get me. He arrived a few minutes later with a man in tow, his previous appointment. He introduced me to the man and said “funny story, we have a burglar in common”.
The story was that the teacher’s house had been recently burgled. A knapsack had been taken with his wife’s computer or iPad in it. The teacher had a hunch of who the perpetrator might be. He had seen a local guy late at night in the vicinity behaving suspiciously. On the following trash night he went to the guy’s house and went through his trash …. and found his wife’s empty knapsack as well as mail from someone who lived miles away. He tracked down the person on the envelopes, called him up and said “have you been robbed lately”. Indeed he had.
These burglaries couldn’t be pinned on the perpetrator since the evidence was so shaky – i.e. anybody can put something in someone’s trash bin. The police were alerted though and they suspected they had the right guy. They paid close attention to him after that and not long after caught him in the act and were able to charge him with a different burglary.
Someone needs to start proofreading Jerry’s work.
“entry’s” s/b “entries”
“burglarys” s/b “burglaries”
We have been somewhat cavalier about this because we’ve been here on and off for 84 plus years, have never been violated, and are stuck in some kind of denial because break ins just didn’t happen during most of the time we have lived here. We’ve since rectified those deficiencies. That said, I’m almost certain these are adolescents out for a kick. Any seasoned robber would have cased the houses for daily routines so they wouldn’t get caught when people are unexpectedly home. They would also have been far more deft at walking away with more things of value. Still, I know people whose homes have been violated and the fear and anger this generates never fully goes away. I suspect the kids don’t recognize the full consequences of what they are doing.
That said, it does appear as though all the current breakdowns have been concentrated in one small part of the City. In fact, all of them seem to have occurred within Ward 5 within walking distance of where I live.
I agree its almost certainly teens (or a very desperate thief), but if you willing to enter at those hours you are also ready to engage the homeowner
You are either going to cower in corner or if your children are nearby you may instinctively physically engage the thief
Its also near the T, wonder if a teen just rode from another town. I dont think there is video footage at T stops?
Any case, please share any tips to be more prepared
Another break in at night last night in highlands
This makes it 8 home invasions
http://www.wcvb.com/amp/article/break-ins-newton-march-19/35883066
http://www.wcvb.com/amp/article/8th-break-in-in-newton-reported/35883146
If all neighbors stay alert, we may be able to catch them soon
I was thinking it was someone very desperate. For a year, people have been home all day and all night. Before the pandemic, people spent all day at work, people went away on weekends. To enter a home with a homeowner is brazen (to me).
I agree with NewtonMom that it seems like someone desperate. I don’t think you take the risk of going into an occupied house if you aren’t desperate. There was recently some car break ins in our area which are more crimes of opportunity. I urge people to keep their properties well lit at night to discourage crime. The newer street lights are not very bright.
Rather than guessing if the intruders are teens, it would be nice if somebody–the police, the mayor, or the media would release a description of the suspects. This is important, useful information. All that we know is that there were two people about 5′ 6.” We don’t even know if they are male or female.
@Jeffrey….
I would imagine that if they had any kind of description, they would put it out there. Being that these events have occurred in the nighttime hours, it would be hard to get a good physical description of a suspect. Especially when the victims may have only gotten a quick or distant glimpse. And take into consideration that eyewitnesses are often in panic and unable to recall much.
Just got an email from a neighbor
that a house behind me on Shady Hill was broken into.
Hopefully we haven’t entirely alienated and demoralized the Newton Police with the Defund The Police movement. That would be a shame. For ALL 13 Newton Villages.
@Paul Well said!
@Paul,
I certainly hope you are not suggesting that the police would intentionally not try to stop and solve these cases…..
The Newton Police always show up. Even when their community is bashing them…they still show up! That’s what makes me so proud of the NPD. They’ve had to deal with all this bashing and it doesn’t stop them from protecting us.
I hope Defund The Police candidates will remain unelectable here. I hope the elected officials who endorsed such candidates will take notice.
In the late-’80s, Newton and several surrounding towns had a string of house break-ins that were most definitely brazen. They broke into our (then) Victorian home in the middle of the night and stole about five period pieces from the first floor. My husband was asleep in the house at the time and never heard a thing. In the morning, he came downstairs to find the back door open, the five pieces missing, but nothing else was touched. Eventually, the thieves were caught – after burglarizing many homes. They were looking for Victorian-era pieces that they quickly sold.
In the ’70s, a car theft ring specifically targeted VW Beetles. We both owned one and both were stolen from in front of our apartment on a dead end street in the same week. In all, five Beetles were stolen from the street in a month’s time. This wasn’t Newton, but very close by. Once again, the thieves weren’t desperate – just very good at what they did.
Just because these two burglars are brazen doesn’t mean they’re desperate – they may just be very good at what they do and have a specific target. I’m sure the police are piecing the puzzle together. In the meantime, it’s probably a good idea for folks in this section of the city to be especially mindful to lock doors and perhaps keep some lights on overnight.
Sad that breaking into homes is something to get good at.
I’d encourage everyone in this thread that has brought up defunding the police to look into the proposals with more detail – I’m not by any means saying you should agree with or support defunding the police, but it is important to note that police response to something like burglary would be entirely unaffected. Defunding the police means that social workers should respond to mental health crises and that traffic cops shouldn’t have guns; it has nothing to do with police response to serious crimes where they’re needed and wanted, like burglary for example.
Looks like the thief is now entering through bedroom windows at 3am while owners are asleep
https://www.boston.com/news/crime/2021/03/23/latest-newton-break-in
At what point is this going to go from burglary to someone getting hurt very badly?
I am the person who was burgled– see Jerry’s post mentioned in this thread. Recently, I had a conversation with someone with knowledge of the break in on Countryside Road. I may have a clue to help solve the string of thefts.
Concerning my theft:
My neighbors would make special note of a person, known to us, riding a bicycle late at night. After the theft, we would check the trash of the bike rider on trash night. On a particular trash night, the stolen backpack was spotted. The police were called and they recovered the backpack and an envelope with the address of person who had also been burglarized. Foolish to check the trash? Perhaps, but when you feel violated you become bolder.
Concerning the recent break-ins:
I was speaking to my friend, whose parents live on Countryside Road. He explained that one of their neighbors had surveillance cameras that showed someone riding a bike in the dark the night of the theft. (I admit this is second hand knowledge.)
If you put yourself in the shoes of the burglar, using a bike is the perfect getaway vehicle. They are quiet, and elusive. Not a clean getaway? Ditch the stolen bike and go on foot.
Isn’t it a bit odd to be riding in the middle of the night wearing black clothes? I suggest keeping your eyes peeled for this mysterious activity.
Chris
The description indicates the burgler to be man in his 40s. So someone who is willing to engage with homeowner at night…. and very desperate going through the home invasion route
Cameras are pretty bad at night, odd that he’s sticking to the same area… so he must know it extremely well. Would having police sittings in cars at night around the area watching for bike rider be too over the top?
We know he’s carrying a crowbar and looks like the best approach is to cower in fear and run away… because you dont to engage
@Chris Murphy the police description of the Countryside Rd incident referenced the intruder wearing a dark jacket with orange shoulders and “orange on the back”. I thought that was a weird color to wear for someone looking to stay dark, but it lines up very well with a bike rider not wanting to get accidentally hit.