Given the trend of burglaries increasing at the end of the academic year, police in Madison’s southern district are reaching out to residents in student-heavy areas, telling them to take extra precautions against theft.
While the number of burglaries happening now is low, South District Captain of Police Joe Balles said students should remain vigilant as the weather warms up and finals begin. Robberies spiked with the heat in March, to as many as six within a couple days, according to Balles, and the end of the semester also triggers more burglary attempts.
“When finals start,” Balles said, “[burglars] are just…watching for [students] to move out.”
Though burglaries were down from 2010 to 2011 in the south district, which includes student neighborhoods south of Regent Street, they became concentrated more heavily near Orchard and Mound Streets. According to Balles, this a result of criminals preying on vulnerable students, who he said are “easy pickings” to robbers.
Most thefts are nonviolent and happen during the day, according to police. Burglars often ring the doorbell to see if residents are home and break in through windows or back doors if no one answers.
In addition to standard precautions, the Madison Police Department recommends protecting against burglary by making it appear like someone is home. Increased lighting around the house can deter some criminals, authorities said, and if students leave town, they should ask someone to retrieve their mail and bring the trash out.
