However, anecdotal evidence indicates that with the recession, crime has gone up in 2008. Formerly, many break-ins were so-called “snatch and grab” burglaries. That is to say, a perpetrator, motivated by the need for money to buy drugs, would break in and take what they could. Unfortunately, in the current economic climate, law enforcement officers indicate that many burglaries are committed by people who lost jobs, and are out of work. This creates a situation in that the would be burglar does not look like a strung out dope addict. He or she could be your neighbor.

One of the more poignant episodes occurred in Wyckoff, NJ this April. The home had its door kicked in and every room was ransacked. The home had an alarm system, but it was not activated.