October sees rise in Columbia burglaries

There were nearly 90 burglaries reported in October.

By Kelsey Maffett

Published Nov. 2, 2010

The Columbia Police Department has seen an unusually high number of local burglaries in the past month, especially since Oct. 23, spokeswoman Jessie Haden said.

According to a CPD news release, between Oct. 23 and Saturday, 33 residential burglaries were reported in Columbia. Local residents reported nearly 90 burglaries in October.

Haden said the past two months have shown an upswing in Columbia burglaries.

“The number is definitely up,” Haden said. “September and October have been hard for residential burglaries.”

Haden said some student housing sites have been targeted, including apartments on Old 63 South, Ross Street and the Southridge neighborhood.

Most burglaries happen during the daytime Monday through Friday when people are at work, school or running errands, Haden said. However, she said Oct. 23 saw an unusually high number of burglaries because of the Homecoming festivities.

“We know at least one person took advantage of game day when people were at the game, socializing or partying,” Haden said.

The most popular stolen items are small electronics, including laptops, iPhones, iPods and gaming systems. Haden said flat screen television thefts have also been fairly common.

CPD has brought in a crime analyst to investigate the burglary trends from July 1 to the present, Haden said. She said CPD will most likely increase neighborhood police presence and assign Street Crimes officers to investigate the burglaries.

Since Oct. 23, CPD has arrested three men in connection to robberies on West Broadway and West Thurman Street.

“We have a big job ahead,” Haden said. “We have to look at the people arrested so far and figure out how many burglaries they were responsible for and how many people are still out there.”

Haden said she urges students to do everything they can to secure their residences, especially if going out of town for the Thanksgiving break.

“Don’t make it easy for burglars,” she said. “Keep the doors and windows locked. If there are any gaps in security, talk to your property manager.”

CPD offers free engraving services, and Haden said she has seen cases in which engraved items were left behind by burglars.

“Be mindful of vehicles in the area and don’t hesitate to call the police if you notice something,” Haden said. “There’s nothing too small. It could all be a piece of the puzzle.”