Police Chief Urges Residents to Take Measures to Protect their Homes

Chief of Police Andrew Matturo sought to allay the fears of Fox Meadow residents who are worried about recent burglaries in their area, especially a Halloween incident where a masked man entered an occupied home on Kensington Road and surprised the sleeping homeowners in their bedroom.

He reported that there have been 26 burglaries to date this year, with most taking place in the first quarter of 2016. He assured residents that marked and unmarked patrolmen were monitoring targeted areas and that the police are using an optical license plate reader that instantaneously captures plate numbers and matches them to plate number associated with outstanding warrants and crimes.

Matturo said that police work closely with neighboring towns and the Westchester County District Attorney to investigate crimes and analyze evidence. They also monitor property transaction records to link the sale of goods to stolen property. These measures have led to two arrests this year.

He also noted that the number of burglaries has significantly declined from the 1980's and 1990's when there were often 100 burglaries per year.

Matturo urged residents to help to protect themselves by doing the following:

• Notify the police of any suspicious activity in your neighborhood.
• Keep your home and garage locked.
• Use timers to activate lights so that it looks like someone is home.
• Leave the radio on.
• Activate your alarm.
• Install lighting and motion detectors around the perimeter of the house.
• Keep valuables in a home safe or safe deposit box.
• Don't leave mail or newspapers lying around.
• Consider the use of video surveillance.
• Consider getting a dog as they have been shown to deter burglars.