Crime

Boulder Police Battle Rash Of Burglaries

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4/AP) ― Boulder police are battling a rash of burglaries, including about 30 break-ins they believe were carried out by the same culprits.

Police responded to 209 home burglaries through June 27. The total was 172 for the same period last year.

Authorities believe about 30 of those break-ins are part of a string carried out by the same person or group of people.

The wave of burglaries started on the west side of Boulder in November and has spread. Police say the crimes are occurring in nearly every part of the city and even beyond into unincorporated areas.

Joanna Mandell, formerly of New York City, got a burglary alert in the mail that's rattled her nerves.

"I called my husband right away and I said, 'Uh, I can't believe this is happening in Boulder, we ran away from this,'" Mandell said.

The alert points out that homes like Mandell's, bordering open spaces or on a corner, may be a prime target for burglars, Police say residents had better start locking doors.

"We've also had people kicking in through locked doors and prying open locked doors, so certainly those burglars have been a little brazen," Sarah Huntley with Boulder police said.

Sometimes neighbors disregard what might be suspicious. Police say that's a mistake.

"We've had some situations where we've gone to burglaries and talked to neighbors who've said, 'You know a couple of days ago there was something kind of funny happening here and I didn't think much of it,'" Huntley said. "Had they been able to think about it and call, perhaps we could've prevented that burglary."

Police say residents should keep their homes well lit, inside and out. Those who plan to go out of town should invest in timers. Also, when on vacation, cancel the newspaper and have the post office hold the mail.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)