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Burglars are stealing pets. This is not a new phenomenon, but it certainly seems to be increasing, based on the number of reports I see in the daily crime reports. My last post on this topic described three burglaries in south Florida, where a dog was stolen in each home intrusion. This latest story from Bamberg, South Carolina describes another pet taken during a burglary – but happily these thieves were caught, and the dog returned to its owner.
Two juveniles and four adults are in custody after being linked to a stolen puppy following a Brickle Street burglary on Oct. 10. Units of the Bamberg Police Department were dispatched to the home for a burglary in progress and were given a description of a suspicious vehicle spotted leaving the scene. Once at the scene, the responding officer was called to provide backup for another officer who had stopped a speeding van in which individuals inside were believed to have guns.
So, the officer responding to the burglary dispatch was pulled off for a potentially more dangerous and important situation. Makes sense, but keep reading!
Linking the Suspects to the Crime
When the six people in the vehicle were questioned, they gave conflicting stories. Officers observed beer containers in the car as well as a gold-and-tan pit bull puppy which one of the men said belonged to him. All six of the occupants were allowed to leave in the van.
Now it gets really interesting!
When officers returned to the scene of the alleged burglary on Brickle Street, they found two side windows smashed in and the front door open. No one was in the house, which had extensive damage throughout. Clothing and a TV were in the front yard. The victim, a 20-year-old woman, arrived on the scene and asked if her gold-and-tan pit bull puppy was in the house and OK. Officers then realized the dog in the van they had stopped earlier was the one taken from the residence. Neighbors gave accurate descriptions of the four men in the van.
Good Old-Fashioned Police Work Wins the Day
The van and its six occupants, two men, two juvenile males and two women, were located within two hours of their release from the traffic stop. The four adults were arrested and taken to jail, and the Department of Juvenile Justice was called to pick up the juveniles. All six were charged with first-degree burglary.
We know what burglars like to steal, but it would certainly be a shame if the list were expanded to include pets on a regular basis. It’s bad enough losing your cash, jewelry, and electronics, without missing a pet that has in many cases become a member of the family. I know how important pets can be. When we moved to DC in 2006, my wife insisted that we set up at least the fire monitoring portion of our home alarm system immediately: as she was quick to point out, our two dogs do not dial 911 very well, and we were both out of the house all day. I also wrote about pets and alarm systems last spring, referencing fire monitoring and also pet-immune motion sensors, the kind that FrontPoint provides.
We certainly hope the police will keep taking burglars off the street. But, let’s not forget that there are plenty more to fill their shoes. Increasing drug use, high unemployment, and other factors have taken property crimes to new heights. That’s why FrontPoint is so committed to spreading the word – about wireless home alarm systems that are safer, smarter, simpler, more affordable, and virtually impossible to defeat. We specialize in safer cellular monitoring and smarter interactive services, including advanced video features and home automation – one more reason why we are recognized as the #1 ranked home alarm company in the US. Your pet is definitely worth the small investment in a state-of-the-art alarm system. Why not check out FrontPoint – now?
Burglars Adding Dogs to List of Stolen Items
By:
Peter M. Rogers
|October 25, 2011
Burglars are stealing pets. This is not a new phenomenon, but it certainly seems to be increasing, based on the number of reports I see in the daily crime reports. My last post on this topic described three burglaries in south Florida, where a dog was stolen in each home intrusion. This latest story from Bamberg, South Carolina describes another pet taken during a burglary – but happily these thieves were caught, and the dog returned to its owner.
Two juveniles and four adults are in custody after being linked to a stolen puppy following a Brickle Street burglary on Oct. 10. Units of the Bamberg Police Department were dispatched to the home for a burglary in progress and were given a description of a suspicious vehicle spotted leaving the scene. Once at the scene, the responding officer was called to provide backup for another officer who had stopped a speeding van in which individuals inside were believed to have guns.
So, the officer responding to the burglary dispatch was pulled off for a potentially more dangerous and important situation. Makes sense, but keep reading!
Linking the Suspects to the Crime
When the six people in the vehicle were questioned, they gave conflicting stories. Officers observed beer containers in the car as well as a gold-and-tan pit bull puppy which one of the men said belonged to him. All six of the occupants were allowed to leave in the van.
Now it gets really interesting!
When officers returned to the scene of the alleged burglary on Brickle Street, they found two side windows smashed in and the front door open. No one was in the house, which had extensive damage throughout. Clothing and a TV were in the front yard. The victim, a 20-year-old woman, arrived on the scene and asked if her gold-and-tan pit bull puppy was in the house and OK. Officers then realized the dog in the van they had stopped earlier was the one taken from the residence. Neighbors gave accurate descriptions of the four men in the van.
Good Old-Fashioned Police Work Wins the Day
The van and its six occupants, two men, two juvenile males and two women, were located within two hours of their release from the traffic stop. The four adults were arrested and taken to jail, and the Department of Juvenile Justice was called to pick up the juveniles. All six were charged with first-degree burglary.
We know what burglars like to steal, but it would certainly be a shame if the list were expanded to include pets on a regular basis. It’s bad enough losing your cash, jewelry, and electronics, without missing a pet that has in many cases become a member of the family. I know how important pets can be. When we moved to DC in 2006, my wife insisted that we set up at least the fire monitoring portion of our home alarm system immediately: as she was quick to point out, our two dogs do not dial 911 very well, and we were both out of the house all day. I also wrote about pets and alarm systems last spring, referencing fire monitoring and also pet-immune motion sensors, the kind that FrontPoint provides.
We certainly hope the police will keep taking burglars off the street. But, let’s not forget that there are plenty more to fill their shoes. Increasing drug use, high unemployment, and other factors have taken property crimes to new heights. That’s why FrontPoint is so committed to spreading the word – about wireless home alarm systems that are safer, smarter, simpler, more affordable, and virtually impossible to defeat. We specialize in safer cellular monitoring and smarter interactive services, including advanced video features and home automation – one more reason why we are recognized as the #1 ranked home alarm company in the US. Your pet is definitely worth the small investment in a state-of-the-art alarm system. Why not check out FrontPoint – now?