Gilmanton has daytime burglary woes of its own

GILMANTON — Police Chief Phil O'Brien said there have been six unsolved burglaries in town in the past two weeks, adding his community to Alton and Belmont as towns that have seen a recent spate of home break-ins.

O'Brien said the majority of Gilmanton burglaries occurred in the Iron Wroks section of town and all of them have similar characteristics.

While he released few details, he said in each case, the burglar(s) were able to enter the homes either through an unlocked door or window. In two cases, a hidden spare key was located and used for entry.

He said all of the homes were occupied and their victims were away, typically at work for the day.

Items taken are generally high-end jewelry and in some cases, poor quality or imitation jewelry was left behind. In one case, he said a new muzzle loader that had been disassembled for cleaning was left right where it's owner had put it.

He said the burglar(s) are neat, apparently organized, and leave little or no signs that they have been in the home.

O'Brien is urging residents to lock their doors and windows while not at home and to not hide spare keys outside their homes. He also urged residents to lock their cars, even when they are parked in their driveways.

He asks that residents be aware of any suspicious activity near their homes and to report it immediately to the Gilmanton Police at 267-7401 or to the Belknap County Sheriff's Department at 527-5454.