Takoma Park On Path To See Rise In Burglaries From 2009

With 88 burglaries so far, Takoma Park is on a path for 124 this year. That would be up from 112 that the city reported in 2009. However that is lower than the 1998-2008 ten year average of 139, according to Police statistics.

Police are making headway, though. Two people were arrested Sept. 9 for first degree burglary and three more were arrested Sept. 10 after an alert citizen got involved in preventing the theft in the city, police said.

The suspects are likely to have been involved in five or six of the recent burglaries committed in Ward 1, said  Takoma Park Police Chief Ronald Ricucci. 

A search of the first two arrested revealed that the subjects had in their possession a computer bag, which held a Toshiba laptop and digital camera, as well as two Apple iPods and a pair of female ear rings.

"It is also believed that these two juveniles are responsible for other burglaries, but not all of the ones that have plagued the city," Ricucci said.

All of the burglaries in the recent string have occurred during the day and early evening, said Andrew Gucciardo, Takoma Park Police Crime Analyst. So Takoma Park Police are upping their day patrols and unmarked patrols.