It was standing room only on Monday, Nov. 17, at DeWitt town hall for a community meeting led by the DeWitt police department concerning the rise in home burglaries in certain areas of the town.

About 200 concerned residents attended at the event, which was led by several officers from the department.

Since July 1, there have been 25 reported home burglaries, according to Sergeant Scott Kaparal, supervisor of the department’s detective unit.

“We’re having this meeting to join forces with the community and become a team,” Kaparal said. “Because together we can fight this problem.”

Kaparal said there have been several “clusters of events” associated with these home burglaries that began in the summer of 2013, with many of the crimes happening in the Genesee Hills and Nottingham areas bordering the City of Syracuse.

Certain details in these burglaries that have become recurring are that they usually happen during the daytime and often involve the intruder going through unlocked doors or windows, or entering by breaking windows and prying doors. Intruders in these events often case homes by knocking on doors to see if anyone is home or to get a look at what valuables might be inside.

According to Kaparal, several juveniles have been arrested in these clusters of burglaries and “were related in some manner.”

“We see a pattern here and we’re focusing on getting proactive,” Kaparal said. “We need you as a community to report anything suspicious because it can really make the difference for us in solving a crime.”

Officer Donald Baumann gave several tips for protecting your home from a burglary, which included locking your house at all times, having an alarm system that is well maintained, having good exterior lighting, keeping a light on inside the house at all times and also calling 911 to report any suspicious behavior.

“We’re very lucky in this department to have a full staff at all times so we encourage you to call us,” said Police Chief Gene Conway.

Officer Stacey Wicks presented information about AlertID, which is a free online service that informs residents who sign up with crime and weather alerts, and also provides an online forum for the community. Residents can sign up for this service at townofdewittpolice.com/Alert_ID_2.html.

One resident was concerned about the use of weapons in these crimes, but Kaparal said there is no evidence that suggests any of the people arrested were armed.

Another resident asked the department how to properly use a firearm in the event one needs to protect themselves during an intruder event.

“I think your right to bear arms is a great right to have, but I think you have to think about the situation and really know how to use your firearm first,” Kaparal said. “I would suggest going to a range and learning more about using your firearm.”

City of Syracuse Fifth District Councilor Nader Maroun, who attended the meeting, said parts of his district are also affected by these burglaries.

“I want to thank the DeWitt police for working with the city police on this problem,” Maroun said. “We need to be smart about what’s going on.”

DeWitt resident Barbara Gifford said she went to the event because she was concerned about the rise in burglaries and found out about the meeting through AlertID.

“I think it was very helpful to know what to look for,” Gifford said. “I think it’s good for the community to have meetings like this.”

If you have any questions or information regarding the burglaries in DeWitt, call 449-3640 or email [email protected].

Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].