Residents of the Main Line are on edge as the area’s annual number of burglaries nears its highest total in years.
So far this year, Lower Merion Police say they’ve investigated 213 home and business break-ins all over the Township. It’s close to the ten year high of 226 which was set back in 2010.
“It freaks everyone out,” said Sharon Shore, whose neighbor was burglarized in Penn Wynne. “If somebody is going to come into your home, it’s a very frightening thing.”
Investigators say most of the break-ins occur during the day while homes are empty. Police don’t believe it’s the work of one person or group and say they’re investigating several suspects. Despite the investigation, they also say they won’t send out a description of a specific car or suspect.
“We don’t like to do that,” said Lower Merion Police Superintendent Michael McGrath. “People will focus too narrowly on one specific thing. We want people to report all suspicious activity.”
A community meeting will be held Thursday night in which police will discuss the break-ins and the latest details on their investigation with residents. It’s part of a series of meetings being held at community centers, civics groups and in the homes of concerned residents.
Aside from the meetings, officials are also urging residents to lock their doors and set their alarm systems. Most importantly, McGrath wants all Main Line residents to report anything strange or out of the ordinary.
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“If you see something unusual in your neighborhood, report it to the police department,” McGrath said. “We frequently have stories from officers going out to investigate an incident where they’ll go next door and talk to a neighbor. What they’re told is, ‘Yeah, I saw that a couple hours ago but I didn’t want to bother the police.’ Well, we want to be bothered.”
