By Dan Magazu
Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise
LUNENBURG, Mass. — A series of house-break sprees in town during the past few months underscores the need for the town to provide additional resources to the Police Department, according to officials.
“The police definitely need help,” Selectman David Matthews said. “They need more resources. It’s a challenge that we’ve been unable to address these last few years.”
Police have investigated 15 housebreaks in Lunenburg since Sept. 1. Police Chief Daniel Bourgeois said items being stolen include jewelry, laptops and other smaller items. He urged residents to lock their homes and vehicles when they go out.
Town Manager Kerry Speidel said incidents of housebreaks have been occurring all summer.
“I can tell you this has been an issue for many months now,” she said. “It seems to come in fits and starts. We’re having a definite issue right now. It is imperative people lock their homes and vehicles.”
Bourgeois acknowledged that current staffing levels limit how proactive his department can be in combating the break-ins.
“Obviously having extra patrols would enhance our ability to be proactive with this,” Bourgeois said.
Bourgeois said officers are forced to share administrative duties and often have to spend a lot of time in the station.
“Arrests take at least two officers to book,” Bourgeois said. “We only have two working the street at most times.”
Speidel said she will be presenting a financial forecast next month that will include a proposal to increase the staff of the Police Department and possibly the Public Works Department because of the town’s growing population.
“I have said all along in many meetings that we need more resources for our Police Department,” Speidel said. “I’m amazed they are able to do the job with the resources they have.”
Selectman Tom Alonzo said there’s no question the Police Department is understaffed. There are 13 full-time officers in the Police Department, including Bourgeois. A town the size of Lunenburg should have closer to 18 full-time officers, according to statistics provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“I’m not a police officer, but times like this when you have a rash of break-ins I’d imagine you look to do certain things like stakeouts and putting more police on the streets,” Alonzo said. “For us that’s not an option. We just don’t have the resources.”
Alonzo said he suspects the struggling economy also has a lot to do with the increase in break-ins.
Bourgeois noted that Lunenburg isn’t the only town in the area experiencing a lot of break-ins this year.
“This has been going on in a lot of the smaller communities in the area from what I’ve heard,” he said. “We’re not alone.”
Selectman Steven deBettencourt said he’s noticed a police presence out in the neighborhoods.
“The problem is these crimes are really sporadic. It’s not all in one neighborhood,” deBettencourt said. “It’s all over the place. I think it’s got more to do with the economy, because this isn’t unique to Lunenburg. From what I hear, it’s happening everywhere.”
Bourgeois said he suspects the break-ins are linked to drug use.
“The sale of the jewelry and other items is most likely being spent on drugs,” he said.
The break-ins have resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars in personal property.
He said residents can greatly help out his department by reporting any suspicious activity they observe.
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