Full Notification

Northern Bergen Co. and southern Rockland Co. NY communities have recently experienced a series of residential home break and entries. Unfortunately, Old Tappan has had incidents of this nature occur. The responsible individual(s) have chosen unoccupied homes that appear to be dark, between the hours of 5pm and 7pm. They survey neighborhoods seeking dark homes that exhibit signs of being unoccupied. They ring a door bell to determine if someone is home. Forced entry is usually made via a doorway or window. Once inside, money, jewelry and similar valuables are sought. These individual(s) usually remain inside for a short period of time. Old Tappan residents are requested to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the Police Department immediately. This would include suspicious persons or vehicles in your neighborhood. If you see something, say something. To avoid the potential of your home being selected, residents should have their homes appear occupied and well lighted after sunset. Service and set home alarm systems. Remove any conditions such as accumulated newspapers & mail that may invite persons with unlawful intent to select your home as a target of opportunity. Old Tappan Patrol Officers have been placing 3.5 x 8.5 yellow Courtesy Security Awareness cards in the mailboxes of homes that exhibit some of these conditions. Please join with us in continuing to make Old Tappan a safe and secure place to live. If you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter, we invite you to call us at Old Tappan Police Headquarters at 201-664-1221. Thank you.