WILTON – Police learned of a jewelry heist from a Weld Road residence last week as the result of an arrest and investigation of a crime in another county, Police Chief Wayne Gallant said Monday.
The burglary, which occurred sometime around June 29, had not been reported by the homeowners because they had been away for several days, he said.
“A substantial amount of jewelry” worth several thousand dollars was recovered by another police department during an investigation of an unrelated crime. Gallant would not give specifics about either crime or the suspects, citing the sensitivity of the burglary investigation.
He said the burglary suspects are not from Franklin County.
It is becoming common for burglars to travel far from their home base where they won’t be easily recognized, he said. They also spend time getting to know their targets.
“They ride, they look and they watch and when they see someone they can prey upon, they’ll return. They watch people’s habits; it doesn’t take long,” he said.
Then they get rid of the stolen goods any way they can, through pawn shops or flea markets, he added.
Gallant urged residents to be vigilant about protecting their property – locking doors and windows, having homes checked while away and engraving valuables. Those and other tips are included in a brochure prepared by the Tri-County Property Crime Task Force, which includes law enforcement agencies from Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties. The information is also available at www.propertycrimes.com.
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