Crimetracker: Rehoboth house breaks

REHOBOTH, Mass. (WPRI) - Unsolved crime spree. A quiet community is targeted by thieves. In one month, more than a dozen homes are broken into. Police say the thieves are stealing cash, jewelry, appliances and more.

There's a new chief of police in Rehoboth and right away, he's on the case of some unsolved crimes. Chief Stephen Enos just took over as Rehoboth's top cop this month, and already something jumped out at him.

"We had a spike of housebreaks in the last month, says Chief Enos."

There have been about a dozen break-ins since September in neighborhoods from northern Rehoboth to the Swansea line.

The Chief says almost all the breaks occurred in the daytime when people are not home or early evening hours. He emphasizes they are house breaks not home invasions with thefts of cash, jewelry, and small appliances.

Several vacant and new homes under construction have also been targeted for their copper pipes which fetch a high price. The chief says these crimes may be motivated by desperate economic times.

But the new chief is taking no chances. He has adjusted patrols looking for people who may fit the pattern and he's advising trusting townspeople to lock up and look out.

The chief also wants to add another security measure. He hopes to soon start a citizens' police academy.