MPD says 300 Milwaukee burglaries in month of August alone

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee police say there were over 300 burglaries in the month of August alone, and police are calling these burglaries crimes of opportunity.

Devin Royster and his family had their home burglarized not even two weeks ago. Royster says the suspects climbed through the window. Royster says the suspects stole a TV, among other items.

"Stole some boxers, some pants and some deodorant. They even stole some of my uncle's medicine, and he's sick," Royster said.

The thieves didn't have to pick a lock, fight a dog or disarm a security system. Instead, they tried to bust through a window -- eventually gaining access through an unlocked window.

MPD officer and crime analyst Bobby Lindsey says MPD has noticed a trend in recent burglaries.

"They're accessing homes through open doors, open windows, pushing in air conditioners, things of this nature. With the fluctuating temperatures, it just leaves so many opportunities and we're seeing people take advantage of that," Lindsey said.

One in four of the 300 August burglaries happened in District 7.

"We've been able to really link a lot of the burglaries together in terms of who's responsible for them," Lindsey said.

Police believe most of the break-ins are being done by a small group of criminals. They say it's only a matter of time before suspects are in custody.

MPD have released the following tips to help curb these burglaries:

Police ask anyone noticing any suspicious activity in the neighborhood to call MPD at (414) 933-4444.

Related stories: