Chief Addresses Crestwood Village Residents After Spate of Burglaries

The total number of completed or attempted burglaries in the Crestwood Villages has risen to 53 since early July,  Chief of Police Brian Klimakowski told village residents Wednesday, the day after a detective nearly caught the suspect. 

The suspect, who police describe as a white male under 6 feet tall with dark hair in his 20s, was spotted entering a back yard by a detective working a special detail in the area Tuesday night. The man, who appeared to wear a black T-shirt and seems to strike mostly between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., was able to escape.

"He lost him in a foot chase along Sunset [Road]," Klimakowski said. 

Officers have been investigating multiple burglaries and attempted burglaries in Crestwood Villages I, VI and VII, in which unlocked doors and windows were used to enter homes. The suspect appears to have been particularly active over the past few days — 16 apparent burglaries or attempts to enter residences were made on Sept. 3 alone. 

"We've been working this pretty strongly since Saturday night," the chief said.

"We are panicking over it," said Karen Mohr, editor of the Crestwood Village Sun newspaper who invited Klimakowski to address members of the village's garden club and other interested residents. 

Village VI appears to have been hit the hardest by the burglaries, Klimakowski said. Officers believe that the younger suspect may be living in Crestwood Village with older family members given the proximity of the houses targeted, the chief said. 

"We don't think that he is coming from somewhere else," Klimakowski said. "He seems to be getting back to safety."

So far, only cash has been taken from homes, the chief said. 

"He's taken nothing else — he's left jewelry behind," Klimakowski said. This suggests that the suspect may have burglarized before and knows to leave behind items that can be traced by authorities. 

"The one good thing I can say is when the houses were locked, he wasn't able to gain access and moved on to another house," Klimakowski said.

Acting on that premise, police have issued some tips to help ensure that residents do not become victims. 

"Make sure to lock your doors and windows, and don’t leave valuables in plain sight. Lock your car when you leave it, and take a few minutes to check the doors and windows of your home before going to bed, or before leaving your residence," Capt. Lisa Parker said last week.

External motion sensor lights also can act as a deterrent, and residents are ask to alert police when they notice "anything unusual" happening, Parker said. 

"If something doesn't look right, please contact us," Klimakowski said. The department can be reached at 732-657-6111 and 911 should be dialed in emergency situations.

Residents have reported seeing the suspect, who strikes even when the home is occupied, inside of their bedroom. But once spotted, he immediately runs off and avoids any confrontation. 

"Usually the minute he sees that they've awoken, he takes off," Klimakowski said.

The chief also told residents not to attempt to confront the suspect, who has to this point not physically attacked any residents, but rather to call police.

"Please don't get into any type of altercation with him," Klimakowski said.