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Break-ins occur across Chapel Hill

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Staff

By Susan Dickson, Staff Writer

A rash of residential break-ins in the area this month has left Chapel Hill Police perplexed.
From Aug. 1-17, there were 20 break-ins in Chapel Hill, including 12 in which force was used to enter the home and eight in which suspects came in through an unlocked door or window.

“We’re seeing a little bit of everything, and that’s what makes it difficult from our standpoint. There’s no clear pattern,” Chapel Hill Police Lt. Kevin Gunter said.

Some of the break-ins have occurred during the daytime, while residents were at work, while others were in properties that students left vacant over the summer. The crimes were committed all across town: at Worsham Drive, Glenburnie Street, Caswell Road, Legion Road, Cedar Hill Circle, West Cameron Avenue and other locations.

Residents reported a wide range of items stolen, with values ranging from a few hundred dollars to $40,000.

“[The break-ins] didn’t appear to be related,” Gunter said. “Our investigators may at some point find a link in these.”

He said investigators have made no arrests related to the break-ins and have no leads on suspects.

During the same time period last year, Chapel Hill police responded to 14 break-ins, Gunter said, adding that police tend to see an increase while students are away and during the warmer months.
Gunter urged residents to make sure they lock their windows and doors, since perpetrators tend to prey on places they can enter without making a lot of commotion.

When residents plan to be away, neighbors should be asked to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, he said. Adequate lighting with motion detectors on the exterior of homes also is very important.

The police offer residents free security surveys, in which a crime-prevention specialist visits a home to determine if locks are secure or need replacement, identify vulnerable areas of a residence and examine lighting.

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