Crime & Safety

North Potomac Residents Seek Answers for Attempted Burglaries

Members of multiple North Potomac and Gaithersburg communities met with county and city officials to learn how they can prevent an attempted home burglary.

Seeking answers from police, residents from several North Potomac and Gaithersburg communities held a meeting Thursday night at to learn how they can be proactive against crime in their communities.

Two incidents, a home burglary and an attempted home burglary, sparked an interest among residents, who live in the neighborhoods of The Woodlands, DuFief Mill, Flints Grove, Amberlea Farms, Westleigh and Stonebridge, to learn to prevent home burglaries.

According to community relations officers, the most important thing to do is rather simple and often overlooked: call 911.

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“911 is your best friend,” Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Chaikin said. “There is no penalty, civil or criminal, for calling when you think you need protection.”

In the incidents reported on Cartright Way and Fox Trail Terrace, an unidentified man knocked persistently on the front door and rang the door bell an extreme amount of times to find out if anyone was home, police said.

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In both cases, no one responded to the front door and the man proceeded to walk around back and attempt to break in through a window. 

The officers encouraged members of all communities to respond in some manner to a suspicious person at their door because burglars want to go to an empty home, according to Michael Prather, community relations officer for Montgomery County's 1st District.

Residents of all ages should make their presence known, 6th District's Community Relations Officer Scott Zimmerman said, adding they don’t have to physically open the door to communicate that someone is home.

The officers suggest adults be confident in telling off strangers and children should say they are talking to their parents and can't open the door, whether they are supervised or home alone.

“If you don’t feel comfortable answering the door [for a stranger], go to your room or another safe place where you can see who’s there,” Prather said, adding that homeowners should try to get as much visual information as possible.

Several of the burglars caught in this area have come from partial license plate numbers, Chaikin said.

But a “bad guy does not want to be seen or heard,” Prather said, and suggested the following tips for homeowners to increase their safety.

  1. Cut shrubbery away from the house that could make for a good hiding spot.
  2. Improve outdoor lighting; use timers or motion sensors in front and behind your home.
  3. Make sure all doors and windows are locked when no one is home.

The officers also said direct communication is important within the community.

Chester Wolejsza, president of The Woods homeowners association and host of the meeting, passed out paper and pen to the attendees in order to gather contact info for a listserv that would span all the local neighborhoods.

However, Westleigh’s HOA president Bill Pine said many residents don't always go to the police first.

“There’s just no substitute [for calling the police],” Pine said. “To call your [HOA] board member and say my neighbor’s car was ruffled last night, it’s too late. The person who’s car is ruffled needs to call the police.”


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