If you're planning to leave your home, whether for a night or a long vacation, New Canaan police suggest you leave the light on. Attempted break-ins triggered alarms at three homes on Saturday, but so far it seems that no actual burglaries occurred. Police are concerned that the three attempts might be connected, and are advising residents to be cautious.
Police first responded to an alarm on Old Norwalk Road at 9:34 p.m. Saturday. When they arrived, they found a screen missing and a window frame damaged. Nothing appeared to be missing, and police are not sure if the home was even entered. Sgt. Carol Ogrinc said she believes the alarm scared off the would-be burglars.
At 10:04 p.m., police received an alarm at Ludlowe Road. The homeowner had not been home since 7 a.m. Friday. Police found that a screen was missing and someone had attempted to pry open the window. Again, police do not believe the suspects entered the house.
Another alarm sent police to Norholt Drive at 10:40 p.m. This time a door was forced open, but Ogrinc said investigators found "no obvious signs" that someone had entered the home, and nothing was missing.
While police were investigating the Norholt Drive incident, a Summersweet Drive resident reported that someone rang her doorbell. When she went to the window, police said, she saw a white male standing at her door and another hiding in bushes. Both ran when they saw the homeowner in the window.
Sgt. Ogrinc believes the would-be intruders look for houses that are dark and then check to see if anyone is home. She is advising residents to leave lights on when they're away, even if just for the evening. "Don't make it obvious no one's home," she said. If you'll be away for long periods, Sgt. Ogrinc recommends you let neighbors know so they can check your house and report suspicious activity to the police.
The department lets residents put their homes on the Closed Home List when going away. Police will drive by homes on the list periodically and call the homeowner if they notice anything suspicious. Residents can put their homes on the list by calling the general dispatcher at (203) 594-3500.
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