Police: Be Alert, Report Suspicious Activity

The Cedar Grove Police Department penned a letter to residents reminding them to be on the lookout for suspicious activity during the holiday season.

The letter was distributed to residents on the NIXLE alert system:

"With the arrival of the winter months and early sunsets, we would like to remind our residents to be on the alert for suspicious activity, since burglars often take advantage of the cover of darkness.

Please read our article on suspicious activity and report any unusual observations to the police department as it occurs.

What is Suspicious Activity?

As followers of the Cedar Grove Police Blotter know, the Police Department always requests that the public report any suspicious activity observed as it occurs. But what exactly is suspicious activity and when should you call the police to report it?

Past experience has showed us that some people fail to call the police simply because they are not sure of what seemingly innocent activity might be considered suspicious. Some people hesitate to call for fear of being labeled a nosy neighbor, while others worry about being embarrassed if their suspicions prove to be unfounded.

Please know that your Police Department encourages you to report anything out of the ordinary without worry of embarrassment, it is our job to investigate your reports and we appreciate all calls. Many criminals have been apprehended as a result of citizens making such reports.

In an effort to assist residents in identifying what suspicious activity is, we are providing a list of some things to look for:

Anything that looks out of place or is occurring at an unusual time of day could be criminal activity in progress.

Examples of things to watch out for are:

• A stranger entering your neighbor’s house when they are not home
• Open or broken doors or windows at a neighbor’s house when they are not home
• The sound of breaking glass, alarms or other loud noises
• Anyone observed forcing entry into or tampering with a residence or parked vehicle
• Strangers observed walking through a neighbor’s yard
• Strangers observed loading a vehicle with televisions, computers or other valuables
• Unknown parked or occupied vehicles idling at the curb without an apparent purpose
• Strangers walking through the neighborhood looking into parked cars, backyards, etc.
• Unknown vehicles moving slowly through the neighborhood or circling the same block repeatedly.

While some of these potentially suspicious situations may have innocent explanations, the Police Department would rather immediately investigate the circumstances than be called back when it’s too late.

Remember, your call could help us stop a crime and arrest a criminal.

The Police Department telephone number is 973-239-4100 and in case of emergency 9-1-1."