SOUTH PORTLAND — City police on Wednesday said burglaries have almost doubled since July 1, compared to last year.
Almost a quarter of the burglaries occurred in the Redbank neighborhood.
Lt. Frank Clark, who heads the Police Department’s Community Policing Unit, said there have been 46 burglaries reported in the last three months, a 92 percent increase from the same period a year ago.
Since July 1, 11 burglaries were reported in Redbank, a neighborhood off Westbrook Street and bordering the Portland International Jetport. Four of the burglaries have occurred since Sept. 25, three of them since Monday, Clark said in a press release.
The release said burglaries are happening during daylight and evening hours. Electronics, games and computers have been common targets for thieves, who usually entered homes through unlocked doors and windows.
Police reminded residents to lock windows and doors on homes, garages, sheds and vehicles. They recommended installing motion detectors and outside lights, making a home look occupied when no one is home, and working with neighbors to watch out for suspicious activity.
Anyone with information about the burglaries and other reported crimes can call police at 911, the non-emergency dispatch line at 874-8575, or the Community Policing Unit at 799-5511 ext. 7236.
For details on reported crimes, visit raidsonline.com. Information and tips can also be made at the website.
David Harry can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 110 or dharry@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidHarry8.
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