Over the past few months, residents of Glastonbury and the Marlborough area have returned from wakes and funerals of family members to find that burglars struck while they were paying their final respects.
It appears that thieves have been going through obituaries and targeting mourning residents when they know people will be out of their homes.
This type of burglary is not a regular occurrence, according to a Facebook post from Glastonbury police, but there have been two reports of this type of burglary in town and two others in nearby towns.
Now police are warning residents so they can guard homes against burglars.
“These events are normally publicized and it is easy to conclude the home will be vacant,” police said in the post. “We ask that you consider alerting your neighbors during the times when you will be away for such events and to have neighbors contact the police if there appears to be any suspicious activity.”
Thieves, referred to as “obituary burglars” have struck in other states, and this is not the first time such burglaries have happened in Connecticut.
Earlier this year, Christopher Teneyck was sentenced in connection with a string of this type of burglary in Branford and North Branford.
Some funeral homes have advised residents to have someone housesit while at a wake or funeral, according to NBC News.
"The best thing they can do is have someone stay back at home, especially if it’s the deceased’s home or a close relative. Have someone stay at the house just as a precaution," Kathe Dupuis, president of the Buckingham Cemetery Association, said. "Because it is in the paper, what the calling hours are, when the funeral is."