Items stolen during the day while homeowners are at work
By Bridgette L. Rallo

The burglary of a North Street home last week is the latest in a string of break-ins that have taken place all along the meandering, semi-rural Rte. 272 corridor over the past few years. From North Torrington to the Massachusetts state line, brazen daylight thieves have entered house after house, stealing jewelry, flat screen television sets, computers and anything else they can pawn for fast cash.  Norfolk, alone, has had three such burglaries this year.
Norfolk’s resident law enforcement officer, Trooper Greg Naylor, is sure that the crimes are the work of drug users, who then fence the stolen goods to finance their drug habits. According to Naylor, the thieves follow a definite pattern when selecting their victims.
“The hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the witching hours for this kind of break-in. They target houses where they know the occupants have left for work,” he said. “Most thieves avoid houses where people are at home because the crime then becomes a home invasion, which carries much stiffer penalties if you are caught.”
“These houses all have short driveways – easy in, easy out, “Naylor added. He explained that the thieves are dropped off at the house by an accomplice, carry out the burglary and stash the stolen goods in the bushes along the side of the road. The accomplice then returns and helps load the goods into the getaway car.
Quiet Norfolk had seen its share of burglaries in the past, but most of the victims have been summer residents, whose second homes were closed for the winter months. Discovery of this type of crime often takes place months after it has occurred and long after the occupants have left. In the case of the Rte. 272 burglaries, the home owners have often just left for work when the crime takes place. Because the house is a primary residence, the feeling of violation can be acute.
Trooper Naylor is well aware of the fact that the break-ins have alarmed town residents. He stressed that there are several things people can do to help area law enforcement agents both prevent and solve the crimes.
“First of all, trust your intuition,” Naylor said. “If you see someone walking along the side of the road carrying a flat screen TV or a computer, call 911. Don’t interact with the person, though. Just call; even if you are mistaken, it’s the right thing to do. And, if you can, write down the model and plate number of a suspicious vehicle.”
Naylor added that people should take photographs of their valuables and write down the serial numbers stamped on all electronic devices. “It is a big help if we can positively identify stolen goods.”
Norfolk Librarian Robin Yuran, the most recent victim of the Rte. 272 thieves, is thankful that she, her husband and her daughter were not at home when their house was broken into. “You know,” Yuran said,” there is something good about everything. The good thing is that, yes, a bad thing happened to us but not the worst thing. We weren’t home. We’re all safe.”