Edgartown police report unusual rash of bold break-ins
By Nelson Sigelman
Published: March 12, 2009
Latest News : Edgartown Police arrest third man in connection with break-ins
Edgartown Police report a series of break-ins, including five on one day, over the past several weeks. The most recent reported break-in was reported yesterday and took place at a seasonal home.
Edgartown police also reported that a West Tisbury break-in this week fit the pattern of recent Edgartown crimes.
What is particularly troubling, police say, is that the thief or thieves targeted mostly year round occupied dwellings, although in all but one case, the occupants were not present at the time of the attempted break-in.
"This is completely out of the blue," said Lieutenant Tony Bettencourt. "There was nothing really to speak of leading up to it, and it concerns us because all but one of the residences had people living in the house. And we haven't seen this in a while, especially this many."
Lieutenant Bettencourt said the victims left their houses to go to work or run a few errands. They returned to find broken windows or doors, and in some cases missing money or household items.
Police said the rash of break-ins and subsequent police reports begins on Wednesday, February 25. Sometime late on the previous night an elderly man living at 119 South Water Street heard a mysterious sound. He did not know what it was, but in the morning, he discovered a basement door kicked in but no items missing.
The same day, police responded to a house on Pease's Point Way. A caretaker checking on the house for the homeowner, who was in the hospital, found a broken windowpane and smashed door. Lieutenant Bettencourt said nothing appeared to be missing.
On Thursday, March 5, police responded to five break-in reports.
About 4:30 pm, police responded to a report at 3 Norcross Drive off Katama Road, where the occupants arrived home to find a broken window and "stuff all over the place," but nothing apparently missing.
At 6:30 pm, police first responded to a report of a break-in at 6 School House Road, in a subdivision near Mill Hill. A door was smashed in and the house was completely ransacked, according to Lieutenant Bettencourt. Missing was an X-Box video game and some cash.
Just before 9 pm, police went to an apartment on Upper Main Street, over the Wheel Happy bicycle shop. The occupants had returned to find the door to the apartment kicked in and items ransacked, said police.
Although nothing was missing from the apartment, the thieves used the apartment to gain access to the bicycle shop, where they pried open a cash register drawer and stole an undetermined amount of money.
A short time after 9 pm, police went to 110 Meeting House Way off Edgartown-West Tisbury Road. The occupant of the house returned to find the house ransacked and cash missing.
Police were also kept busy the next day. On Friday, March 6, police went to a house on Gert's Way, off Meeting House Way. The thieves smashed in the door, ransacked the house and stole alcohol, police said.
About 6 pm that evening, police responded to an audible burglar alarm at a house on 90 Main Street. The responding officers found footprints leading up to a door that was ajar. Lieutenant Bettencourt said the alarm may have scared the intruder or intruders away.
