Burglary Up in Haddonfield by Nearly 250 Percent

Burglaries in Haddonfield increased by almost 250 percent, from 21 to 73 in the latest state Uniform Crime Report.

The eye-popping stats are part of the 2010 state uniform crime report, the latest crime data available. It details and categorizes crimes from Jan. 1, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2010, throughout the state.

Overall, reported crime in the borough increased by 56 percent, with 318 incidents reported in 2010 to 178 in 2009. Violent crime incidents almost doubled, from six to 11; larceny, a crime involving the wrongful acquisition of personal property, was up by nearly 64 percent, from 147 to 230.

By comparison, neighboring Haddon Township had a 71 percent increase in reported crime and a 30 percent increase in burglary. Haddon Heights had a 68 percent increase in reported crime and a 92 percent increase in burglaries.

Perhaps surprisingly, Camden, which had far and away the most incidents of reported crime in Camden County with 5,517 incidents, saw an 8 percent decline in crime. Reported crime overall in Camden County increase by about 3 percent.

Keep in mind, these numbers don't account for crime over the last year in Haddonfield and the state. Home burglaries, including nearly two dozen copper downspout thefts, car burglaries and other crimes have been frequently reported in Haddonfield Patch in 2011.

These numbers have some key borough residents worried.

"I'm very concerned about it," said Bill Tourtellotte, Haddonfield Civic Association president. "I don't like it at all. It feels like crime is up a lot recently."

Tourtellotte said four neighbors within 300 feet of his home in the Lizzie Haddon section of town, west of Kings Highway, south of Haddon Avenue, have had property stolen from them in recent weeks. Many have been thefts of copper downspouts. Two neighborhood women literally helped chase down a burglar at one of their homes in September. These crimes are not accounted for in the 2010 Uniformed Crime Report.

Chief John Banning has said the down economy could be a cause of a steep uptick in crime in Haddonfield.

“The economy certainly plays a big part in this," Banning told the Haddonfield Sun this week. "You need to look at the big picture.”

He also has said thieves often target places like Haddonfield where residents may not lock car doors or windows to their homes.

Tourtellotte said he didn't want to be overly critical of the police department, but he wants action.

"Don't just blame it on the economy," he said. "Recognize it's worse than what it was and what are we going to do differently to get it back to the way it was or better. I want to know what we can do about that and they're like, 'There's really nothing we can do, people just have to call us sooner.' That's not a plan."

Tourtellotte, 49, who grew up in Haddonfield, said it may be time to bring back neighborhood watch groups. He said he remembered his parents patrolling the streets of Haddonfield when he was growing up.

"We pay a lot of money for own police department, but we also need a way for residents to be more involved."

Borough Commissioner Ed Borden, who oversees the police department as the director of public safety, said the sharp spike in burglaries is a cause for concern. But he cautioned that Haddonfield remains among the safest towns in the state.

"Haddonfield continues to be the safest town in our region, the safest in South Jersey," Borden said Thursday. "But the levels of increase in residential burglaries overall are a matter of concern."

Borden said 2010 crime figures especially standout because 2009 was an "anomaly" with an especially low number of incidents. He said he didn't have an answer for why crime in 2009 and 2008 was so low in the borough.

Crime per 1,000 persons was at 19 and 15.6, respectively for 2008 and 2009. It jumped to 27.4 in 2010. That ratio had been in the 20s since 2005, except in 2008-09. The 2010 ratio of 27.4 is the highest over that span.