Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says the number of burglaries have dropped-off in the community, since the Police Department last week issued a warning to residents of the City to lock the doors on their homes and vehicles, following a couple of residential burglaries which occurred in the City.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green

Green said the thieves were apparently targeting electronic equipment, like computers and audio components, but they’ve gotten wise to the facts the public is being more observant. He says his officers have also been conducting surveillance, and since the news release on August 30^th, the activity has slowed. The “rash” of burglaries he says, is not currently continuing.

Green says they have some leads, but nothing has panned out just yet. He says residents need to remain vigilant though, in their awareness of strange activity going on in their neighborhood, and not be lulled into a false sense of security just because the incidents have seemingly stopped. He says most of the burglaries were residential, and there wasn’t any particular pattern.

Green says while some people may think the thieves are targeting primarily the residences of business owners while they are away from home, they’re not the only ones to have been hit. He says the thieves were hitting homes during the lunch hour, when there is a lesser opportunity people will be around.

The Chief reminds residents that if you should happen to come home and find it has been broken into, immediately exit the residence and call police. Entering the home and tampering with touched objects can result in possible lost evidence, and, there is a chance the suspect or suspects may still be in the residence.