Police: Burglary Remains the 'Most Serious' Crime in Cranford

The Cranford Police Department's detective division investigated 2,580 cases in 2008. Of those cases, 378 were Class I offenses, a designation given to homicides, rapes, burglaries, thefts, motor vehicle thefts, assaults and arson. Out of those offenses, detectives investigated 45 burglaries.

“Burglary is the most serious crime we normally investigate in Cranford,” Detective Sgt. Gerard Quinn told Citizens’ Police Academy students Wednesday night.

The number of burglaries reported in Cranford increased from 32 in 2007 to 45 in 2008, according to the 2008 Uniform Crime Report. Police officials expect the 2008 total to remain about the same in 2009.

Burglaries, Quinn said, usually happen during the daytime by individuals who are not looking for a fight.

“If a confrontation occurs, it is often accidental, unintended, and ultimately the burglar wants to leave.”

Individuals commit burglaries to fund drug habits or climb out of debt, Quinn said. There are times, however, when the crimes have no motivation behind them but for a moment of opportunity.

For several weeks in September, a series of burglaries in and around Cranford had residents on edge. Police patrolled neighborhoods and residents were told to keep their windows and doors locked at night and to stay vigilant.

“You would be stunned how many people in Cranford can see something but never feel the need to call the police,” said Quinn. “It’s frustrating because in our minds we’re thinking this crime could have been solved already.”

A Tabernacle man was arrested in Cranford and charged for attempted burglary and criminal mischief on September 18.

There has been no report of any similar burglary attempts since, according to Lt. Robert Colaneri. Police are still investigating the suspect’s connection to other burglaries in the area.

While a theft is the simple act of stealing another’s property, and a robbery adds an element of a verbal or physical threat, a burglary is the act of trespassing with the intent to commit an additional crime. Cranford’s burglar forced his way into people’s homes in order to steal items.

However, a burglary can also occur if someone forces their way into a place where they are unwelcome and rapes or assaults another, destroys evidence, or commits any other crime.

These definitions are imperative when charging a suspect with a crime. If the suspect is charged incorrectly, the court can throw out the case. Police must first consult with the county prosecutor’s office before charging a suspect with a Class I offense.

Before police can go to the prosecutor's office with any charges, they must build a case.

Cranford detectives use fingerprints, pry marks, witnesses, surveillance and other methods to catch their suspect. Even the smallest, most inane piece of evidence can solve an investigation.

"You never know what's going to be the break in an investigation," said Quinn. "We may not have anything big going on, but that could be the piece of the puzzle another agency needs. Someone could be parking on your street and committing burglaries in Westfield."

Citizens' Police Academy meets every Wednesday in the municipal building. The class is full.