Albemarle Police (www.albemarle.org/police) announced December 21 that over a dozen burglaries that occurred this year in two county neighborhoods constitute a burglary string. Sixteen burglaries in the Hessian Hills and Canterbury Hills neighborhoods and two on nearby Georgetown Road have led police to think one or several people are responsible for the spike in thefts.
 Burglars have found this Albemarle neighborhood to be a good target lately—Hessian Hills and neighboring Canterbury Hills have seen 16 burglaries since this summer. |
The crimes all reflect a similar modus operandi, says Sgt. Peter Mainzer with the Neighborhood Services Unit of the Albemarle Police Department. The burglar(s) typically enter through unlocked doors and windows at the rear and steal small items like cash and electronics. A few people have found drawers rifled through, but little property has been damaged in the break-ins. The last robbery occurred December 17.
These robbers are opportunists, Mainzer says. Police are advising people to take normal household safety precautions, like locking doors, leaving exterior lights on and not letting mail pile up during vacations.
Hessian Hills and Canterbury Hills are located off Barracks Road. The area doesn’t usually see much crime, says Mainzer. “Generally speaking, we have very little criminal activity… This is certainly out of the norm.”
Bob Garland, Jr., Canterbury Hills resident and former president of the neighborhood association, says citizens have been more vigilant since the break-ins started. “I think people are feeling careful,” says Garland.
While the burglaries are out of the ordinary, Mainzer says the holidays usually see a rise in crime. “Within the last three months we’ve seen an overall increase in property crime that tends to occur the closer we get to the holidays. But…having 18 burglaries that all appear to be connected, that’s a pretty significant concern for us. I’d say for the year, this is probably one of our more significant burglary cases that we’re working.”