Marion plagued by string of burglaries

Marion plagued by string of burglaries

Thieves taking advantage of homes left unoccupied during the day

ralphhardin@gmail.com Over the past few weeks, the City of Marion has seen an upswing in the number of residential burglaries in the community. Since Jan.

22, there have been nearly two dozen calls to the Marion Police Department related to burglary, theft or breaking and entering.

On Jan. 22, around 9 p.m., police were called to 109 Cottonwood on a report of Residential Burglary and Theft of Property. It was an unusual call in that most of the recent calls have come during the day, when many homes are empty, with homeowners at work or out of the house on other business.

Indeed, at 11 a.m. earlier that day, police responded to 292 Manor on another Theft of Property call. The next day, there were two calls in the morning — one at 192 Judge Smith Drive and another at 90 Sherwood

Cove — both in response to Residential Burglary and Theft of Property

complaints.

On Jan. 24, a Breaking and Entering with Theft of Property call came in from 515 Par Drive late in the afternoon, thieves apparently having taken advantage of another homeowner out working.

The trend continued over the next several days: Jan. 26, 8 a.m., at 823 Belle Rive, police received a Theft of a Firearm call.

Jan. 29, 8 a.m., a Theft of Property call came in from 473 E. Brick.

At 2:18 p.m., a call of Criminal Trespass and Theft of Property from Marion High School sent police into action.

Jan. 30 was an especially busy day for both criminals and the police. The calls started early, with a Criminal Trespass call to 100 Hino Road at 2:42 a.m. At 8 a.m. a Theft of Property call came in from 89 Willow Drive. In the same area, burglars managed to hit two homes on Cottonwood Drive before lunch.

At 10:50 a.m. police were called to 95 Cottonwood on a Theft of Property complaint only to respond at 11 a.m. to 94 Cottonwood on a Residential Burglary and Theft of Property call.

Shiloh Drive, in the heart of the city, in the morning, a call from 106 Shiloh on Residential Burglary and Theft of Property complaint in the morning was followed up with a call from 96 Shiloh on an identical complaint at three in the afternoon.

The break-ins have continued into February. At 8 a.m., on the morning of Feb. 1, a call from 322 Trigg came in reporting a Residential Burglary and Theft of Property that included the theft of two firearms. Later that same day, a call to police came in at 2:30 p.m., from 378 Park reporting the theft of a vehicle, only to be called back out to the same address at 11:30 p.m. with another Residential Burglary and Theft of Property case.

On Feb. 3, police were called to 450 South Prairie Cove at 4:30 p.m. on yet another Theft of Property call.

By Ralph Hardin