Burglars Strike While Residents Sleep

Two homes in Montclair were burglarized recently while the homeowners were sleeping, according to the Montclair Police Department. 

The first occurred on Oct. 10 at a home on Edgecliff Road in Upper Montclair. A girl was sleeping in a third-floor bedroom when a burglar entered her room and stole a laptop and iPhone which were on the bed with her. 

Another laptop was also taken from the home. 

The homeowner told police that the house's rear doors were left open. 

On Sunday, a family in an Upper Mountain Avenue home went to sleep and awoke to find the home burglarized the next day. 

The family went to sleep around 11:30 p.m. As they slept, someone reportedly entered the backdoor of the house and took a laptop, two iPads and a DVR, according to reports. 

The family did not wake up during the night, and the burglary was reported at around 7:30 a.m. on Monday. 

There was no damage found to any of the home's doors or windows. The homeowner told police he was unsure if the rear door was locked. 

Montclair Police Lt. Angel Roman said the department has seen a string of home burglaries involving stolen electronics in the past few weeks. He added many cases involve residents leaving their back doors open.

“We are getting the same particular patter that sometime between 10:30 [p.m.] and 3 a.m. ... they are finding a rear door open,” said Roman. “If you are leaving windows and doors unlocked ... you are making it very easy for [burglars].” 

Roman recommended that residents lock their doors and windows. 

Both investigations are ongoing, Roman said.