Chief’s Corner
By Chief Steven J. Wojnar Dudley Police Department Over the Labor Day holiday, our department received several motor vehicle break-in reports. These were reported mostly in the Cardinal Heights section of town. Vehicles were broken into during the overnight hours while parked in the owner’s driveway or near their home. These have occurred in the past in various parts of town at random times. I wanted to take this opportunity to publish some reminders once again for people to assist them in preventing similar incidents in the future. The best way to prevent most of these break-ins is to keep your vehicle locked. Many people simply forget to do this, or they have a false sense of security that nothing will happen in their neighborhood. This is especially true while the vehicle is parked near their home. Many criminals look for unlocked vehicles to enter. These are easy targets, and the individuals have a lower risk of being discovered, as they are not causing damage (breaking glass, etc.). Perhaps of equal importance, is to never leave items of value in your car. Items like cell phones, wallets, pocketbooks, keys, etc. particularly those in plain view, are attractive to criminals. If they are not present, or at bare minimum hidden, there is a strong likelihood the perpetrators will move on. In addition to securing your vehicle, remember the value of lighting around your home. The more lights you have, the better off you are. Burglars and other criminals do not like to be seen. Motion detection lights are a great tool. They only work when movement takes place. These will limit the amount of electricity which is used and will provide illumination at times when it is needed most. Doorbell cameras and video surveillance systems are also great tools to have at your home. Many systems are affordable, and the pictures are very good quality. These can be a deterrent and a valuable tool in the suspect identification process. Finally, we ask you to call the police if you hear or see anything unusual taking place around your home. Many people wait until the next day to report suspicious activity. Often, people will dismiss their observations as something else which is easily explainable. You know your neighborhood best. If the police are notified |
immediately, there is a greater likelihood of locating suspects and recovering stolen property, while at the same time, possibly preventing future occurrences. In many of our recent cases, we received calls and assistance from some residents. This is always greatly appreciated. Without public assistance, our efforts to investigate crimes and identify suspects can be extremely difficult. If anyone has any information on these recent incidents or if you require additional assistance, please feel free to call our business line at 508-943-4411 option 0.
For those still seeking vaccination or COVID related information, it can be found at www.dudleyma.gov or by calling 508-949-8036. During these challenging times, we, at the Dudley Police Department, greatly appreciate the support we receive from our community. Thanks again for your questions and comments. Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department 71 West Main St. Dudley, Ma. 01571 or email at swojnar@dudleypolice.com. Opinions expressed in this weekly column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted, do not reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen. |
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