Burglaries Spike Up Nearly 100% in Forest Hills, New York

There are sections of The Big Apple that have shown improvement in residential crime, while others have been struggling to provide peace of mind to their residents. In the latter category is Forest Hills, located in the Queens borough of New York City, as reported in this article.

Residents in Forest Hills, Queens are on edge after a recent rash of home break-ins that sent their neighborhood burglary statistics soaring by nearly 100 percent. The most recent burglary was over the weekend on 69th Avenue. The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous in order to protect her identity, said she returned home Saturday evening after having been gone all day to find her home ransacked. Jennifer Bondanza also returned home Saturday to see that someone had tried to break the gate to her driveway. But the thief or thieves were unable to gain entry. "Whoever it is, they should arrest them soon," she said.

Burglaries Up Almost 100%

The crime wave started in February of this year and has caused the number of burglaries to spike a whopping 93 percent in the 112th Precinct. At this time last year, there were 29 burglaries in the precinct; this year, there have already been 56, according to the NYPD. "In most cases, we heard that jewelry and money were taken," said neighbor Charlie Crawbuck. "But two of them actually walked out with big screen televisions, which seems kind of brazen to me."

Police Take Action

Police have held meetings with the community to caution them about the crimes and urged them to take precautions. "I had an alarm system installed, I have safety doors," said resident Ronan Hogg. "I leave lights on during the day and nighttime." Many people are reinforcing their windows and doors and even installing security cameras, something lifelong residents never would have considered in the past. Meanwhile, neighbors say the NYPD has increased its presence in the neighborhood, sending marked and unmarked cars to patrol the streets. "I feel like there's been so many so many at this point they should have a lead or something," said Bondanza. "It seems like every day somebody's house is getting broken into."

The police are right: it’s amazing how many burglars enter through unlocked doors and windows – even when people are not home. We also know it’s a fact that most burglaries happen during the day, when the intruder expects the home to be empty.

What Burglars Steal – and Where They Break in

The details of these crimes are familiar: cash, jewelry and electronics are missing. Add in guns and prescription drugs, and you’ve got the “big five” list of items burglars target most. Some people blame the economy, while others blame greater use of drugs, and the need to feed drug habits… Whatever the reasons, residential crime is definitely up in plenty of cities, towns, and counties across the US. Locking doors and windows is good, but how about a monitored alarm system? Don’t you want the peace of mind that comes from knowing police will respond to an alarm activation? That’s all the more reason to have a home security system – and use it. We know exactly where burglars are mostly likely to break in.

Alarm Systems Make a Difference

We know that monitored alarm systems are an effective deterrent, which is why we remain puzzled by the fact that only one in five US homes has a monitored alarm system, with a burglary occurring every 14 seconds! Research has shown that a home with a monitored alarm system is only one third as likely to be burglarized as the unprotected home next door. And since the latest home security offerings (like FrontPoint) include safer cellular monitoring, advanced interactive features, and even home automation, there is more reason than ever to make the modest investment now.

As always, it makes sense to take every precaution so that your home is not a target. You’ll see that FrontPoint’s Top Ten Home Security Tips overlap nicely with the recommendations offered by police across the US – including installing a monitored alarm system. Your peace of mind is worth a lot, and there’s nothing more important than protecting your home and family. And that’s where FrontPoint comes in: the leader in wireless home security, and the #1 ranked home alarm company in the US.  When you are ready for safer, smarter, simpler, more affordable, and virtually impossible to defeat, FrontPoint is your clear choice – just read the reviews, and you’ll see why.