Crime & Safety
Plainfield Burglaries Prompt Woman to Launch Neighborhood Watch
After two similar crimes in the same neighborhood, one resident wants to make sure homeowners are on the alert.
A Plainfield resident said she's looking to form a neighborhood watch-type group after two burglaries that have shaken up neighbors.
Last Friday, police said a family reported a burglary in their home in the 16000 block of Lexington Drive. The family told police they arrived home around 10:30 p.m. to find the previously locked front door open and the sliding patio door ajar — and clothing and jewelry missing.
According to police, the burglary is the first in the neighborhood in the last six months.
A Patch article on the crime prompted Arbor Drive resident Susan Norsen to reach out to Patch. Norsen said it was her home — located just one street over from Lexington Drive — that was burglarized in August.
As in the Lexington Drive burglary, Norsen said whoever robbed her home forced entry through the locked front door and exited through the patio door, targeting the same types of items.
About $60,000 worth of jewelry was stolen, Norsen said in an email to Patch. "Many pieces with valued family memories," she added.
"Basically, they dumped out everything in my jewelry drawer and armoire," she said. "We had to have the entire front door replaced, as they forced right [through] the dead bolt and broke the door frame."
Norsen criticized the investigation by Plainfield police, saying the case was closed — unresolved — after 90 days. She said she also doesn't feel police spent enough time following up on leads provided by residents, such as a report of an unfamiliar car spotted by a neighbor parked on the street after the burglary.
"An invasion of one's home is a terrible thing, and I feel badly that another family had to experience it," Norsen said. "Plainfield taxes continue to increase, yet our services that should provide safety to our community protecting it from crime clearly doesn't warrant our dollars spent ... As honest taxpayers, we lock our doors, go to work, school/activities while some thief is watching our neighborhood patterns."
On Wednesday, Plainfield Sgt. Kevin McQuaid said police continue to look into the Lexington Drive burglary and are "investigating all avenues" in the case.
Norsen said she now pays for a security system to monitor her home and to help her feel safe after her sense of security was shattered by the burglary. She also she wants her neighbors to be aware of the crimes and stay on the alert.
Norsen asked residents who are interested in forming a neighborhood watch-type group or coalition to contact her at 331-442-0677.
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More Plainfield-area police news:
- Summit Cops Said Nothing About Will County Court Security Coordinator's Criminal Past
- Plainfield Man Sentenced for Stealing Over $300,000 From Employer
- Icy Roads Prevent First Responders from Reaching Stranded School Bus
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