Gennario reminds Rockville Centre residents to 'stay alert'

At a recent village board meeting, Police Commissioner Charles Gennario reminded Rockville Centre residents to take steps to prevent becoming victims of “crimes of opportunities.”

“Unfortunately, burglaries are a way of life,” the commissioner said. Addressing recent speculation, he said that Rockville Centre was not in the midst of a “burglary epidemic.” But he did say that residents should exercise caution and stay alert in light of recent incidents.

There were 42 burglaries and 21 attempts in the village last year, which was fewer than in 2009, the commissioner said at the meeting.

Gennario outlined a list of tips that villagers should

follow in order to be safe:

Make sure all doors and windows are locked at night.

Secure valuables inside the home.

Don’t leave keys in cars.

Don’t leave keys in plain sight inside homes.

Set home alarms at night.

Keep lights on, especially outside the home so that burglars can be spotted Retain serial numbers on all electronic devices in case they are lost.

“These are tips that should be heeded all the time…” Gennario said at the public meeting. “Like other towns, Rockville Centre is not exempt from burglaries.”