![The recent rash of residential break-ins all involved homes where the owners were away at the time.](https://r.search.yahoo.com/{"default":{"load":"default","w":"27","h":"20","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB1f0zSr.img?h=203&w=270&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}})
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The recent rash of residential break-ins all involved homes where the owners were away at the time.
BEDFORD, NY — In an alert emailed to Bedford residents, police are warning of a string of recent residential break-ins. The notice warned that the burglaries have taken place “throughout the town.” The incidents all involved forced entry into locked houses and took place while the homeowners were away.
The Bedford Police Department is asking the public to be diligent in reporting any suspicious persons or vehicles. Authorities are also asking homeowners to take advantage of all available security measures, including employing alarm systems and security cameras.
Like many communities across the Hudson Valley, the Bedford Police Department offers so-called “dark house cards” allowing homeowners to let police know if their residence will be unoccupied for an extended period of time. Property owners simply fill out a form available online to let cops know when the house will be empty, whether anyone has permission to visit the property and information, including license plate numbers, about cars that belong on the property.
The dark house cards also contain details about alarm systems, security cameras and which, if any interior lights might be left on or set to a timer. In addition to making it easier to reach homeowners in the event of a break-in, the information provided can actually help make patrol officers aware that something isn’t quite right and thereby stymie a potential burglary.
“Our Town has been recognized fairly recently as the ‘Number one safest community in New York State’ by the National Council for Home Safety and Security,” town officials noted in the public safety alert. “We do not take our low crime rate for granted. This exists because of the partnership our police have with our community to ‘see something and actually say something.’ In addition to high visibility patrols, the Police Department uses social media platforms such as Nixle, Facebook, and Twitter to communicate situational awareness and safety messages to our residents.”