Burglaries spur concern in Salisbury

Several concerned residents were expected to address the issue with local lawmakers and police officials at an invite-only special meeting on Wednesday, after Herald press time.
According to weekly crime reports filed by the 3rd Precinct there were at least 22 car break-ins and burglaries, nine stolen vehicles and six residential break-ins and burglaries reported in the Westbury area from Nov. 21 through Dec. 30. A large majority of those incidents occurred in the Salisbury portion of Westbury.
Representatives from the 3rd Precinct were unavailable to provide comment or updated statistics this week because they were in the process of compiling annual crime data to be presented to the county, a spokeswoman said.
A 16-year-old was arrested in December after a foiled burglary attempt in Salisbury. Following an investigation, police said suspect Isiah Brown, of Hempstead, was connected to 36 other burglaries throughout the 3rd Precinct, including Salisbury, East Meadow and Garden City Park.
Helen Meittinis, president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue, said she has been receiving several concern-filled e-mails from residents on a daily basis. Meittinis, who regularly communicates with law enforcement officials, explained the important role that residents play in fighting crime in their neighborhoods.
"It happens in many communities - we can't escape it," said Helen Meittinis, president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue. "However we still have got to deal with it. Some communities are dealing with it and some are not. We choose to deal with it.
"A system of communication is the best way to go," she added.
For coverage on Wednesday's special community meeting, read next week's edition of the Herald.
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.