Burglars ransacked North Brooklyn last week, breaking into at least 14 residences — and one house of worship! — continuing a summertime burglary spree that began two weeks ago.
Crooks committed six more burglaries this year than they did over the same seven-day period last year, and over the four-week period ending on July 12, the number of burglaries skyrocketed from 26 last year to 51 this year — a spike of 96 percent.
The crooks have demonstrated no pattern that’s hidden in the locations of the crimes, but they use similar methods to break in, said Thomas Brown, the 90th Precinct’s crime prevention officer.
“They are coming in through fire escapes, windows, unsecured doors, poorly locked doors,” said Brown, who again urged North Brooklynites to secure doors and windows before leaving their homes.
Here are the details of some of the crimes:
• Crooks snatched a MacBook laptop and a Canon digital video camera from a Grand Street apartment overnight on July 8. The thieves removed a screen and climbed through an open window to get into the residence, which is between Union Avenue and Lorimer Street.
• A Berry Street woman halted a July 10 burglary when she walked in on three perps attempting to loot her apartment. The shocking confrontation occurred at around 8:40 pm, when the 34-year-old resident spotted the crooks inside her home, which is between South First and South Second streets. The resident confronted the would-be thieves, who said they were looking for a bathroom.
• Crooks snatched a laptop and lots of Apple equipment from a Meserole Street home on July 10. The thieves also got a jar of coins from the apartment, which is between Graham Avenue and Humboldt Street between 12:30 pm and 10 pm.
• Perps purloined $5,000, silverware and jewelry from a Rodney Street residence — while the 57-year-old victim was visiting her husband in the hospital. The thieves descended into the home through a skylight, snatching the cash from envelopes in kitchen drawers and cabinets at some time between 6:15 pm on July 10 and 11:30 pm the following day.
The crooks also stole a diamond ring, wedding band, watch, bracelet, earrings, and a silver fruit bowl.
• Skells scaled a fire escape and ransacked a Keap Street apartment early on July 11 — while the 36-year-old resident was asleep between 2 and 8 am.
Once inside, the crooks grabbed a Mac computer and an iPod and fled from the residence, which is between Grand and Hope streets.
• Hoodlums stormed a Rodney Street apartment on July 11 and heisted $900 between 6 and 10 pm, climbing through a deck window to get into the residence, which is between Bedford and Lee avenues.
• Bad guys broke into the Pentecostal Church of Eden on Montrose Avenue overnight on July 11 and heisted audio equipment.
The crooks got in between 10 pm and 8:30 am the following morning and heisted a portable projector, wireless receivers, a channel mixer, and wireless mics from the house of worship, which is between Leonard Street and Manhattan Avenue.