Car Break ins Again

So for the second time in 2 months our carS were broken in to.  Last time they smashed the window out of one of our cars overnight for $1.00 in the ashtray.  Bad enough!!

Now tonight at 9:30 p.m. with all the lights in the house on, 4 tv's being watched and my son on the back deck, they walked down the driveway popped the locks to two of my cars (actually one was a guests car) and my neighbors car.  My son heard something and looked in the driveway.  There they were 3 black males in late teens early 20s, my son yelled at them and they took off towards Irvington and Newark on foot.   They dropped the handful of change in the driveway as they ran. And of course they ransacked the cars so now we have to go through them to see if anything is missing. Who knows how many other cars were hit already or if this was the start of the night for them.  

In August they hit 4 driveways in a row and kicked in the glass of a front door to my other neighbors house.  

And I should pay 16k in property taxes to live over here?

What if they stumbled on my son sitting there and got scared and jumped him or worse.

And now my son who is quadriplegic and sleeps on the first floor with window near the driveway has to worry about them breaking in and him bring helpless.  What a way to live.

That sucks.

Just out of curiosity, do you have motion sensor lights back by your cars?

Not that it's a cure-all, I caught a kid trying to break the lock to my car with a screwdriver in my driveway in the front of my house in broad daylight.

No, but all the lights were on and the porch and deck lights illuminate the driveway.  These were not some kids looking for open cars and change, they were pros.

They opened 3 locked cars with out damage or noise.  My son scared them away when they had gotten in to the third car where he was literally sitting 15 feet away. 

 The Sunday after July 4th I was up 5 in the morning having a cup of coffee at my front door just looking at the sunrise when I saw a kid walking down the middle of the street wearing a hoodie. He didn't see me cause of a small tree in my front yard but he came up my curb into my driveway that's when I challange him and yelled Where You Going ! He jumped a few inches and flew down the street where I saw his partner in crime going thru a neighbors car. He also left running up Rutgers toward Springfield Ave. I called the police but they were long gone,nothing but punks ! Very good parenting not knowing your kid is out at 5 in the morning going thru or maybe stealing cars. 

It is an unfortunate truth that proximity to Irvington and Newark is a definite downside to SoMa. Not saying one thing or the other about race, just that the crime statistics for those bordering cities are grim. 

Maybe you could speak to an officer about having more frequent patrols on your street. That's a very tricky situation. The motion sensors may help not just to deter them but alert you somethings moving in your driveway.

Thinking about cameras.  Its a shame that we have to spend money we don't have right now but I guess it is what it is.

I just worry about them escalating to breaking in to houses. With my son sleeping on the first floor and unable to move I don't know how else to protect him.  Their is a motion detector camera system that I am looking at. 

The amount you pay in property taxes doesn't enter the minds of criminals. They'll rob whomever they find convenient.

Open to learning otherwise, but I suspect property prices, taxes and crime are similar 30 minutes outside of NYC, regardless of direction. IWO, Long Island and Westchester ain't cheap or without crime either.

not exactly so. I think the surrounding towns play much more of a role. Many other towns equi-distant aren’t bordering areas as crime-ridden as Irvington or Newark.

All that aside, I cannot even imagine how terrifying this would be in light of your son’s situation and vulnerability on that first floor. I am truly sorry. I think the motion lights and maybe an alarm system even if just limited to his windows might give you some peace.

Taxes may not enter in to play in criminals minds but they also know how expensive Maplewood is, so they figure that is where the goods are.

My tax comment was directed more to getting more police protection.

Since he has been paralyzed this has been a big fear of mine.  What if they break in and see him sleeping there but don't know he can't move and they do something to him.  Or if he wakes up while they are in the house?  I couldn't imagine the fear that would run through his mind knowing he couldn't do a dam thing.

Gave me the chills just now thinking about it as I typed it.

Black_Panther said:

Maybe you could speak to an officer about having more frequent patrols on your street. That's a very tricky situation. The motion sensors may help not just to deter them but alert you somethings moving in your driveway.

Discussing the problem with the Police Chief and/or the local elected official of your choice is a good idea.  The Police Department may be able to increase police patrols in your neighborhood.  A home security audit is also a good idea.  We got a lot of good suggestions as to how to make our house more secure when we had the MPD perform one for us.

EricBurbank said:

Taxes may not enter in to play in criminals minds but they also know how expensive Maplewood is, so they figure that is where the goods are.

My tax comment was directed more to getting more police protection.

Since he has been paralyzed this has been a big fear of mine.  What if they break in and see him sleeping there but don't know he can't move and they do something to him.  Or if he wakes up while they are in the house?  I couldn't imagine the fear that would run through his mind knowing he couldn't do a dam thing.

Gave me the chills just now thinking about it as I typed it.

what about a security system?  I don't think thieves would stick around to mess with your son once an alarm starts going off.

I’d also check with your sons health providers/ therapists/insurance to see if any kind of alert or alarm system is covered

conandrob240 said:

not exactly so. I think the surrounding towns play much more of a role. Many other towns equi-distant aren’t bordering areas as crime-ridden as Irvington or Newark.

I don't know LI very well, but thinking of Westchester, as an example, if you want to be close to the city and find affordable properties you might be in New Rochelle, which has nice areas and not so nice areas. Or you might be near Yonkers.

When you take the midtown direct from NYC, South Orange/Maplewood are the very first really nice towns you come to, which is part of what makes them affordable. Closer to the city is more crime; further is more expensive. Going out on LI, the very first nice towns will probably border Queens, will be cheaper but more crime ridden than going father out. Ditto Westchester and the Bronx, etc. You want less crime you get further from the city and pay more.

We considered am alarm system but my house is not your average house. We have people leaving at all hours of the day and night due to work schedules and 2 dogs, so its bound to get set off a couple times a month and the police charge if it goes off more than x number of times.

A monitor on him would only be helpful if he can reach it, and due to the violent spasms he has on some nights he is bound to hit that by mistake.

There's not much more a police survey will suggest,,I am pretty aware of things to look for pertaining to them getting in.

It looks like either my wife or I will be sleeping on the couch again.  My wife did it for almost 4 years and just the passed couple of months was able to come back upstairs.

Used to defend this neighborhood against everyone who said it was in a bad part of town but for the first time I am beginning to doubt it.

What a shame.

We live in the same area too and a few weeks ago someone broke into our garage and took my son’s bike. We have security cameras, but unfortunately, the thief had his face covered. I asked my neighbors to check their security cameras and on the same night..the same person tried to open their cars on their driveway as well. I filed a police report and told the detectives about both incidents.. certainly we need more police present in the area

We have an alarm system that I really like - by Metro Alarm. The guy to contact is Oswaldo (908 -245-3520 I believe). We have break sensors that will go off if the window is smashed. Also regular window and door sensors. The best thing is that its all operable on my smart phone so when I need to I can switch on and off the alarm from my phone. It also has fire/smoke alarms that will alert the fire dept directly too. 

I really think if you speak to Oswaldo he might be able to custom your alarm system to your particular needs. Or at least give you some good direction about what you can do to make you feel more comfortable in your own home. It seems more and more people are putting cameras around their property - if nothing else might be somewhat of a deterrent to these criminals coming onto your property. Good luck. 

I know/knew him years ago.  Maybe I will call him to see what he can offer and how much it costs.

My one neighbor uses him.

Thanks

EricBurbank said:



A monitor on him would only be helpful if he can reach it, and due to the violent spasms he has on some nights he is bound to hit that by mistake.

There must by now be a system that can be voice activated.... For instance,  iPhone..

"Hey Siri, dial 911."

I am so sorry to hear that this happened to your family.   

Just listening to all of this is making me concerned.  Things have certainly changed over the last decade and not for the better.  There are benches in the park that need to be removed as it harbors many outsiders to gather and smoke.  Things are certainly not the same anymore.   

I have been here far longer than a decade.  

At one time, people did not want to go to Springfield Avenue.  Things are much better now.

Ramita4 said:

Just listening to all of this is making me concerned.  Things have certainly changed over the last decade and not for the better.  There are benches in the park that need to be removed as it harbors many outsiders to gather and smoke.  Things are certainly not the same anymore.   

What exactly do you mean by "outsiders?"

Ramita4 said:

Just listening to all of this is making me concerned.  Things have certainly changed over the last decade and not for the better.  There are benches in the park that need to be removed as it harbors many outsiders to gather and smoke.  Things are certainly not the same anymore.   

The horror. People sitting on a bench smoking. 

Ramita4 said:

Just listening to all of this is making me concerned.  Things have certainly changed over the last decade and not for the better.  There are benches in the park that need to be removed as it harbors many outsiders to gather and smoke.  Things are certainly not the same anymore.   

Smoking is illegal in Maplewood parks. Then again, so is bike riding and I see kids with Cohobas riding banana bikes all the time.

Or maybe those were hipsters. Yeah. Call the cops, seriously.

Jackson_Fusion said:

Smoking is illegal in Maplewood parks. Then again, so is bike riding and I see kids with Cohobas riding banana bikes all the time.







Or maybe those were hipsters. Yeah. Call the cops, seriously.

I think the word you were looking for is cohones.

I didn't realize before that bikes were not allowed in Maplewood parks. (However, I don't see a no smoking rule... but it could be in a different section). It seems it's also unlawful to be over 14 years old and play in the park; and the little kids tossing stones into the stream also appear to be unlawful:

https://www.ecode360.com/9420248

Township of Maplewood, NJ, Essex County

Chapter 193: Parks and Recreation Areas

Article I: General Provisions

§ 193-1Unlawful acts.

It shall be unlawful for any person:
A. To enter upon any portion of lawn or other cultivated ground in any Township park or parkway within the Township when forbidden so to do by an official sign or other official notification.

B. To throw, drop, discard or otherwise place litter of any nature upon any public or private property other than in a litter receptacle; to throw or deposit litter in any pond, lake, stream or any other body of water in any park or elsewhere within the Township.[Amended 12-2-1997 by Ord. No. 2045-97]

C. Above the age of 14 years, to play at any game in any Township park or parkway in the Township, except at times and in places which may be designated, in writing, by the Director of Recreation, under such regulations as the Township Committee may from time to time adopt.

D. To engage in any sport unless provision for the same is made in the park.

E. To play golf or ride horseback in any portion of the park.

F. To ride a bicycle or motorcycle on the paths or in any section of the parks, including the sidewalks along the marginal streets of the park.

G. To cut, break, deface, defile or ill-use any building, fence, tree, bush, plant, turf, lighting standard or other thing belonging to the park.

H. To throw a stone or other missile, or to have possession of firecrackers, torpedoes or fireworks, or to discharge or have possession of any firearm, or to make a fire in any part of the parks.

I. To utter any profane, threatening or abusive language or loud outcry or to perform any obscene or indecent act, or to commit any nuisance or to solicit any contribution or subscription, or to play any game of chance in any park or parkway of the Township or to bring into the park or parkway any instrument of chance or gambling whatsoever.

J. To hunt, molest, injure, capture or in any way interfere with the freedom of any bird being free and undomesticated in any Township park or parkway in the Township, or to hunt, molest, injure, capture or in any way interfere with the freedom of any squirrel, fish or any other animal being the property of the Township in any park or parkway.

K. To allow a dog, of which he is in charge, to go upon any part of the parks unless held by a leash not longer than seven feet.

Section 234-2 of the Maplewood Municipal Code:

A. No person shall smoke within the boundary of any Township park, playground or recreation area including:
(1) Memorial Park.

(2) Maplecrest Park.

(3) DeHart Park.

(4) William Orchard Park.

(5) Richard Walter Park.

(6) Milo S. Borden Park.

(7) Ricalton Square.

(8) Grasmere Park.

(9) Maplewood Township Municipal Pool.

B. Smoking shall not be permitted within 25 feet of the ingress or egress of any Township-owned or -leased building.

§ 234-3Signage.

A. Signs shall be placed at the entrance and/or other conspicuous location to each park, playground and recreation area covered by this chapter which shall be located so as to be clearly visible to the public and shall contain letters and/or an international symbol which contrasts in color with the sign, indicating that smoking is prohibited therein. The sign shall also indicate that violators are subject to a fine. Such signs, whether stating "smoking prohibited" or containing an international symbol for "smoking prohibited" shall be in letters at least two inches in height.

B. Signage shall be placed at the ingress/egress of each Township-owned or -leased building indicating that smoking is not permitted within 25 feet of said ingress/egress.

§ 234-4Enforcement.

This chapter shall be enforced by the Chief of Police and/or his/her designees and the Township Health Officer and/or his/her designees.

§ 234-5Violations and penalties.

Any person observed to be in violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the following penalties:
A. A fine of not less than $50 but not exceeding $100 for the first violation;

B. A fine of not less than $100 but not exceeding $200 for the second violation; and

C. A fine of not less than $200 but not exceeding $500 for the third and any subsequent violation.