The Avon Police Department would like to provide residents with an update regarding the residential burglaries that have occurred recently.

Each of these incidents is an open case and is being actively investigated by the Detective Division. The Detective Division is working with other agencies and has been sharing information in order to identify and secure arrest warrants for the individuals involved in these crimes.

There has been a total of eight burglaries that occurred between January 30 and February 13, 2023. Each occurrence took place during the early evening hours. In general, the suspects travel to and from the area in rental vehicles (i.e., newer cars with out-of-state license plates) and gain entrance through the rear of the home via an unlocked door or by breaking the glass slider. The items that are being stolen have varied, but all items have a high worth. The burglary crews have been linked to other residential burglaries in New York, New Jersey, and other towns in Connecticut.

There have been no reports of confrontations between homeowners and suspects. In one case, the suspects ran from the home when the audible alarm went off. We believe that the suspects aim to identify homes that are unoccupied. Based on information provided by other police departments, we understand that the suspects are typically not armed with weapons because the suspects understand that carrying a weapon while committing these acts will upgrade the criminal charges brought against them if caught, with the sentence typically including automatic jail time or a longer sentence. However, it is important to recognize that this may not apply to all suspects committing these crimes.

The Police Department would like to share the following recommendations with residents:

- Continue to be vigilant for yourself and neighborhood.

- Use automatic lights when you are not home.

- Let neighbors know if you are out of town and whether or not anyone will be at the house while you are away.

- Do not allow mail and newspapers to pile up while you are away.

- Be careful on social media. For example, if you are away on vacation, refrain from posting photos of yourself on your trip until you return. Remember that homeowner information (i.e., assessment records) is publicly available online. While these particular suspects are not using social media to target homes, this has been a method used in the past in town and the surrounding area.

Should you have further questions or concerns, or you would like to schedule an informal community meeting for your neighborhood, please contact Lt. John Schmalberger at (860) 409-4216 Monday – Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.