CRIME BLOTTER: Burglaries on Kirk Road, Buchannan Terrace

These are the reported burglaries over the weekend from the Decatur Police Department. DCD spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ross noted that in the Kirk Road incident, it is technically not a home invasion, as reported on several neighborhood listservs:

• On 09/29/13 at approximately 1:32 am, Decatur Police were dispatched to a burglary in progress in the 500 block of Kirk Road.  The homeowners reported hearing their burglar alarm activate and then hearing a commotion downstairs.  Officers located a cut in the screen door leading to a rear porch, which had previously been latched.  A screen had been removed from an unsecured rear window leading from the porch into the living room.  A large flat panel television was ripped from it’s mounting bracket and taken from the living room.  Other valuable items in plain view in the living room were left untouched.  It appeared the suspects left the residence through the same window they entered.
• On 09/29/13 at approximately 2:18 am, Decatur Police responded to a burglar alarm in the 100 block of Hilldale Drive.  The homeowner told the alarm company someone had attempted to open the front window, but were unsure if they had gained entry.  Officers arrived and conducted a check of the residence (inside and out) with negative results.  Officers located a window on the front of the house which was open approximately three inches.  Officers located two other windows on the residence which were unsecured but unopened.  No items were taken and it did not appear the suspect(s) made entry.
• On 09/29/13 at approximately 10:15 am, Decatur Police responded to the 200 block of Buchanan Terrace in reference to a burglary.  The complainant reported he went to sleep the previous night at approximately 11:00 pm and woke to find the door to the storage closet located in the back of the open carport of the residence open.  This door was previously secured with a padlock.  It appeared the latch was pried off.  Miscellaneous tools were missing from the storage closet.  An officer located the missing tools inside of a vehicle parked in the carport.  The vehicle had a broken steering column but was previously inoperable and would not have started anyway.  There was also a bicycle missing from the front porch of the residence.   An additional entering auto was reported at the residence across the street.  An unsecured vehicle was entered and a wallet was taken.  A bicycle that did not belong to either victim was located in the second victim’s front yard.