Police Update Council on Burglaries and Doorbell Rings

The Town Council was briefed Tuesday evening on the burglaries in town along late night visitors.

Police Chief John Parizeau said the police are working on a description of the cat burglar from a teenage neighbor of a residence burglarized on July 22. The witness provided a description of a white male in his 20s wearing a white t-shirt to police. Parizeau said fright prevented the teenager from getting a more detailed description.

Four burglaries have occured in recent weeks in various south side neighborhoods, including the Shadowlawn area around the high school. Other burglaries have occured on Wyoming Street and Westfield Avenue. At least one occured while the residents were sleeping in another part of the house.

Police said they are unsure if the burglaries are connected to a suspect arrested by Fanwood police earlier this week on a string of burglaries, noting the Fanwood police had not informed Westfield of the arrest. Westfield officers are working on a burglary prevention task force with officials from Somerset County and other Union County towns along Route 22 and Route 78.

Parizeu reiterated safety tips to the council which police officials presented at a south side crime prevention workshop organized earlier this month by Councilman Tom Bigosinski.

"It's important that everyone lock doors and lock windows," he said.

Parizeau also noted that his department has been informed of several residents reporting having unknown individuals ringing their doorbells at 10PM. He said the residents did not answer the door but also did not call the police. He said he found out after one resident called Councilman Dave Haas for assistance.

Parizeau said that residents receiving door bell rings from unknown individuals in the middle of the night should call the police for assistance not a council member, which Mayor Andy Skibitsky seconded.

"When someone sees something that doesn't seem right they should call the police," Skibitsky said.