Middle Run Crossing

2009 MRX Burglary & Vandalism Report

10/19/2009

Several incidents of vandalism occurred over the weekend in the vicinity of Robin Red Breast and Goldfinch.  Pumpkins were smashed, homes and cars were egged, Silly String was also used on some cars.  Residents called the NCC Police Non-Emergency and reported the incidents.

Neighborhood Watch Committee

If you are interested in forming a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH group, please send your name, email and phone number to MRXCOMMUNITY@YAHOO.COM.  We have several neighbors interested in re-establishing this practice, which was active years ago in the neighborhood.  If you have any experience setting this up, we would love your help.  Once we have a group, we will send out an meeting invitation to begin planning. 

*Update: Three individuals from the Pike Creek area, one adult and two juveniles, were arrested in the two home burglaries described below.  Some of the items taken were recovered.  For more information, please contact New Castle County Police. 

7/22/2009*

 Between 12:30-1pm on Thursday, July 22nd a home on Mourning Dove Drive near the intersection of Starling Street was burglarized.  No one was home at the time and no one was injured. 

Taken from the home were laptops, jewelry and cameras among other items.  The homeowners said that they typically allow their dog the run of the home and on the one day they locked him in the laundry room, the home was burglarized.  Thus leading them to believe that someone noted the change in their routine.

Police were called and the case is under active investigation.  The homeowners wanted others to be alerted that criminals may still be actively casing the neighborhood and to please make a note of the plates, vehicles or description of anyone who is not familiar to you and/or is going door to door.

Our maintenance corporation contact, BCC Consulting, has been asked to notify/alert the other associations they support as the police advised this M.O. matched multiples burglaries in the greater Newark/Newcastle area as well as others in PA.

The MRX Community Corner is actively pursuing pricing on three no soliciation signs to be posted at each entrance of the neighborhood.

As a reminder, to keep the solicitations to a minimum until the signs are posted, please only contract with reputable businesses.  Once the signs are posted, please send all reports of businesses who disregard the signs and continue to solicit to the MRX mailbox on mrxcommunity@yahoo.com.  We will email all those businesses of the change and request they respect the policy.

7/7/2009

Around 1PM on Tuesday July 7th a home on Mourning Dove Drive near Smith Mill Road was burglarized. No one was home at the time and no one was injured.

Police investigated and, using dogs, recovered a scent trail to a flyer for seal coating. They reported that this ties to a Philadelphia precinct where a rash of break-ins occurred by those posing as people distributing flyers about a service but in reality they are 'casing' houses.

This incident has prompted numerous requests for "No Solicitation" signs at all 3 entrances. Our initial research with the Dept of Transportation indicates that signs like this would have to be purchased and maintained by the community not the State or County.

I have copied our property management company for advice on how to proceed on these requests for no solicitation signs.

One immediate measure we can all take as residents is to not patronize these businesses that solicit in and on our mailboxes, on our driveways, in our front doors or on our cars. A legitimate business would not continue to advertise this way if it was not working. Unfortunately it is the illegitimate fronts that are making use of this advertising as a means to gain access to the neighborhood as well.

In the short term, please keep a watchful eye and we will send updates if any new information becomes available.

7/2/2009

On Thursday, July 2nd, into Friday morning, someone went through unlocked cars parked in the driveway of a home in the 300-block of Mourning Dove Drive.

Taken were an ipod and laptop computer. The New Castle County Police came out and tried to take fingerprints, but were unsuccessful.

Please remember to keep cars locked and garage doors closed.