Police offer safety tips following home invasion

Date: 8/16/2010

Aug.16, 2010

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW -- While the recent home invasion on Robin Street may have startled some residents, East Longmeadow police say there are ways to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.

"The two key words are 'common sense,'" East Longmeadow Police Chief Doug Mellis said. "How do you protect yourself? You secure things. Because you live in East Longmeadow, you're not exempt. It's still there. Sometimes it could be a kid in your neighborhood."

A 62-year-old resident of 3 Robin St. was allegedly stabbed during a home invasion by Andre Blanks and Nikko Rivera on Aug. 8 at approximately 11:45 p.m., according to East Longmeadow Police. Neither are East Longmeadow residents. The police told Reminder Publications there is reason to believe the two expected the home to be empty.

"In this home invasion, like many, the people that perpetrated it had an idea that the home would be vacant," Sgt. Patrick Manley said. "Very often in home invasions, when they go in, they're committing a property crime, then they get in there [and] they are confronted by the home owner."

Being aware of suspicious activity in your neighborhood can go a long way toward protecting yourself because, in most cases, perpetrators have prior knowledge of the residence before attempting to enter.

"They're not going to enter a home at random," Manley said. "They're going to check it out first."

Also, taking simple steps, such as installing proper lighting and locking doors, can prevent break-ins.

"Lighting on the outside of your house ... deters people from trying to sneak up on your house," Manley said. "If the house is well-locked with deadbolt locks, it's going to make it difficult for the person to enter. They're going to have to make noise. If they make noise, they're afraid the neighbors are going to hear it and they're going to look for a house they can get into without making a lot of noise."

Alarm systems are another popular security measure and one the police value, even when they respond to what appear to be false alarms.

"We answer thousands of false alarms every year," Manley said. "We don't know how many of those alarms have worked effectively because no one is going to hang around and wait for the cops to show up. So often what's recorded as an unknown cause on an alarm could have been a break in that was deterred."

If security measures fail while a resident is home, Manley urges caution in confronting intruders.

"Any time you get into a confrontation with a person in your home, you have to remember that any weapon you select to use to defend yourself can be used against you," Manley said. "If you have a club by your nightstand and you pick it up and you carry it downstairs, that club can be used against you, too. If you're going to have weapons, you should be somewhat familiar with their use."

Blanks and Rivera entered the Robin Street home unarmed and used weapons from within the home in the assault, according to Manley, but it is unclear whether or not the resident attacked had armed himself.

The best defense may be one that doesn't require a weapon.

"The best thing to do is to dial 911 and get the police on their way and if the perpetrator confronts you, tell him, 'I've called 911,'" Manley said.

Manley said the recent rise in East Longmadow's population may lend to the impression that crime is on the rise in town.

Also, according to Manley, the increase in rental properties leads to a community that is not as close-knit as it once was or should be, which can lead, in turn, to increased crime rates.

"You have a person who's renting who doesn't have as much of a stake [in the community]. The commitment to the community is not as great," Manley explained. "The person upstairs is not someone they know. They come and go. So you have a more transient community and the neighborhood suffers for that. The more you have less ownership in a community, the more you have opportunity for crime. They're not looking out for each other. It's not as tight-knit a community [as] a neighborhood used to be. There's less of a social commitment."

"Know your neighbors. Know your surroundings. Know your community," Mellis added.

Mellis also stressed that East Longmeadow residents, whether they be homeowners or renters, should remain vigilant and keep their eyes open for suspicious behavior in the area. He said many times those in the community are afraid of bothering the police with concerns.

"We'd like the people, instead of being part of the problem, to be part of the solution," Mellis said.